NEW DELHI: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has started an uphill task to catalogue and preserve piles of archival records lying in disarray in its offices across states.
Historical documents are being searched through and evaluated to fast-track the setting up of the Archive Division at ASI headquarters in Delhi.
Circles (sub-offices of the ASI in states) have been directed to facilitate and cooperate with Tassadaque Hussain, who has been engaged as Consultant (Archives) to assist the project.
Officials said that Hussain had already visited a couple of circles offices, including Kolkata and Agra, to assess archival materials which are in their possession. Hussain has served as the deputy director at National Archives of India (NAI).
The ASI headquarters and sub-offices has a huge assortment such as rare manuscripts, maps, sketches, drawings, paintings, handwritten notes, lithographs and images related to monuments and historical buildings, under its custodianship, dating late 19th century onwards.
As part of the exercise, old records of historical significance and artefacts stacked mainly at six circles — Agra, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Vadodara and Bhopal — are to be examined. After sorting and provisions for preservation, shifting of the collection to Survey’s headquarters in Delhi is proposed.
“The records are scattered and need to be organised. We haven’t taken a call to bring archives to Delhi yet. The purpose of this exercise is that the treasure, the ASI is holding should come in public domain,” said an official.