MYSURU: The Oriental Research Institute (ORI) of the University of Mysore, globally revered for preserving and publishing rare manuscripts and palm-leaf texts, has taken a monumental step towards digitisation.
The 138-year-old institution, which houses an impressive collection of around 45,000 printed rare books — including scholarly journals and ancient texts on Ayurveda, physics, chemistry and aviation — is now in the process of converting these invaluable works into e-books.
Speaking about this significant initiative, ORI Director DP Madhusudhana said digitisation is essential in ensuring wider accessibility, while also addressing the pressing concern of deterioration due to age and environmental factors.
“Many of these books are over 100 to 150 years old. Through this initiative, scholars, researchers and general readers from across the world will be able to access these texts from the comfort of their homes,” he said.
Mysore University has already given its approval, and soon, these literary treasures will be made available on the ORI’s official website. This project is being supported by philanthropists and an MoU has been signed for the two-year-old project which has been taken up with the help of Padmapriya, head of the Save Our Country Trust, who has donated Rs 15 lakh for the project.