The Union Minister for Culture and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja has said that archival material is part of our heritage and it must be treated with respect. Inaugurating the newly refurbished Conference Hall and
the Committee Room at the National Archives of India (NAI) here today she said, her Ministry will take proactive role in acquiring archival materials for National Archives of India from the different government departments and ministries for the benefit of scholars, researchers and future generation of the country. She said, NAI should also reach out to the more and more people to persuade them to donate archival material to NAI for research purposes. The Minister said, the perception about NAI as a closed door institution is gradually changing as the archival material available with the NAI is now accessible to a large number of scholars and researchers. She said, her ministry will support all endeavors of the NAI in digitization of archival materials and conservation and preservation of invaluable records with the latest available technology. On this occasion the Minister released the following books:
(1) “Sarojini Naidu: Her way with Words” edited and introduced by Prof. Mushirul Hasan, Director General of Archives. The book analyses Sarojini Naidu’s insight into the significance of compositeness in Indian history .She projected the ‘modern’ face of Indian womanhood-confident, assertive and politically motivated.
(2)“Catalogue of Publications of National Archives of India :- This Catalogue of publications encompasses the genesis and growth of publication programme of the Department over the last seventy years, , provides brief details about each publication, their cost, code as well as status of availability. The Department has decided to digitize all publications brought out so far and make them available on National Archives of India website for easy access to the information therein.
(3) “Catalogue of Hind Series Maps of Survey of India
In addition, the following publications of the National Archives of India were displayed on the occasion:
(1) “Indian Travels of Thevenot & Careri”- Edited by Surendranath Sen- This is the third part of the Travels of Jean De Thevenot into the Levant and the third part of a voyage round the world by Dr. John Francis Gemelli Careri(Indian Records Series). This title was first published in 1949.
(2) “Imperial India
(3) “Travels in the Punjab, Afghanistan and Turkistan to Balk, Bokhara and Heart”- by Munshi Mohan Lal
(4) “The Military Operation at Cabul”- by Vincent Eyre
(5) “Akhtar Iqbal: Nawab Sultan Jahan Begam (Ex-Ruler of Bhopal
(6) “Sarojini Naidu: Her way with Words” edited and introduced by Prof. Mushirul Hasan, Director General of Archives.
(7) “Proceedings of the Indian National Congress, Vol. 1(1885-1887)-edited and introduced by Prof. Mushirul Hasan,
(8) “Writing Indian Colonial Ethnography in Nineteenth Century- edited and introduced by Prof. MushirulHasan,
(9) The Indian Archives: (1911-2011)
(10) Twentieth Report of the Director General of Archives on the implementation of Public Records Act, 1993 for the year 2009.
(11) Annual Report of National Archives of India
(12) Facsimile copies of Inayat Jung Collection, Vol. I and Vol. II
(13) Aina-i-Sikandari-Persian Newspapers
(14) C.D., of Facsimile Copies of Inayat Jung Collection
Secretary, Ministry of Culture Smt. Sangita Gairola was the Guest of Honour and Chairman, Indian Council for Historical Research Prof. Basudev Chatterjee presided over the function. DG, NAI Prof. Mushirul Hasan and other senior officials of the Ministry of Culture and NAI were also present on the occasion.