Punjabi University begins work on digitisation of rare manuscripts at Dehradun centre

Dr. Balbir Singh Sahit Kendra is a research center that was established in 1974 in the name of Sikh scholar Balbir Singh that facilitates university researchers and visiting scholars.

Punjabi Univesity has begun the digitisation work of rare manuscripts, newspapers, magazines and books, kept at its Dr. Balbir Singh Sahit Kendra library in Dehradun. While speaking on the same, the University officials said that the manuscripts were the writings, as well as collections of world-renowned scholars, including poet and theologian of the Sikh revival movement Bhai Vir Singh, Prof Puran Singh, who is known to be the founder of modern Punjabi poetry, Balbir Singh, a Sikh scholar and brother of Bhai Vir Singh and Bibi Mahinder Kaur, among others.

Dr. Balbir Singh Sahit Kendra is a research center that was established in 1974 in the name of Sikh scholar Balbir Singh that facilitates university researchers and visiting scholars. It has over 10,000 books written in Gurmukhi, English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Persian and Urdu which are related to Sikh religion, literature, philosophy, theology and comparative studies. It also houses a scholar— WE Beglay’s collection of over 800 books related to Mughal history, rare hand-written words of Guru Granth Sahib, old editions of Khalsa Samachar and Khalsa Akhbar newspapers dated 1880s and 1890s.

“The books and manuscripts are years old and have been damaged due to regular use. Therefore, the university has decided to digitise them,” said the University officials. 

Dr. Paramveer Singh, center co-ordinator said important works at the centre, include Nirukat Sri Guru Granth Sahib, an encyclopedic dictionary designed by Balbir Singh that comes in 18 to 20 volumes, among others. He told the Telegraph, “A team at the centre itself will carry out the work. The equipment will be provided by the university.”

University Vice-Chancellor Prof Arvind said the project was started on Tuesday and would become one of the important activities initiated by the university in future. “Some of the books and manuscripts are rare that are available here only. We have started from books that are in bad condition so they can be preserved at the earliest,” he said.

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