The Telangana State Archives and Research Institute (TSARI), which is the custodian of around 43 million documents of several types, has received a paltry allocation of approximately ₹4.30 crore in the budget presented on March 18. A major chunk of the amount will go to salaries and administrative expenses.
Sources said since several thousands of these documents are brittle and are in dire need of preservation, more funds are required.
The TSARI, spread over nearly four acres in Tarnaka, contains historical records from the Mughal period, 1626 CE onwards. These include documents from the reign of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb. The records from the Mughal period alone number approximately 1.55 million. Manuscripts dating to the 15th century, too, are stored here. A majority of these documents are from 1724 CE to 1948 CE, which is the Asaf Jahi period.
According to those familiar with the functioning of TSARI, the institute is in dire need of funds. Experts in cataloguing, and preserving records, are also required. Since a large number of documents, especially those from the Mughal period, are in cursive Shikasta style of calligraphy and ‘ornamental Persian’, there is a need for those who can decipher and translate the language of the court.
However, sources said requirement of funds for digitisation of records is priority. “There are thousands of records which are brittle, so much so that one feels afraid to touch them. Around 10% of records were digitised before 2012. But a lot many remain. The records which need to be digitised are not just the records from the medieval period, but also from the modern period, and include government orders issued by successive governments of Andhra Pradesh. Despite whatever digitisation has been done, documents are not accessible to researchers as there is no retrieval mechanism,” a source explained.
The institute also requires that documents to be catalogued. Cataloguing entails a descriptive summary of the records contained in the TSARI. At the moment, the institute has a researcher whose services have been engaged on outsourcing basis for cataloguing. Those in the know pointed out that since cataloguing is a slow process and the documents are many, there is a need for more such experts.
“Researchers can view the catalogue and retrieve records which they require. It is important for any library or research institute. Only one person cannot get the job done,” the source said.
While TSARI’s journal ‘Etihas’ is being published, inadequate allocations have led to the institute seeking grants from other institutions to keep its afloat.
