Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah inaugurated the 'Ganesh Gyanarthi Exhibition' organized by the Asiatic Society of Mumbai on September 13, 2026. The event was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Asiatic Society President Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, along with other dignitaries.
Shah emphasized that the Modi government is providing and will continue to provide every possible support to the Asiatic Society of Mumbai. He articulated that the society should become a bearer of Indian knowledge tradition and spread it across the country. The minister highlighted that Maharashtra's land inherently contains the energy of Saraswati and urged the new team to expand this wealth of knowledge through three approaches: digitizing knowledge and sharing with libraries nationwide, creating a common platform for heritage institutions, and linking with the Gyan Bharatam National Manuscript Mission.
Shah specifically directed the society to collect scattered knowledge and manuscripts from villages across Maharashtra and create research arrangements. He noted that manuscripts contain seeds to make India best in economic and defense terms, requiring continuous research advancement. The minister distinguished between 'Indology' (which aimed to understand Indian systems for colonial rule) and Indian knowledge tradition (focused on global welfare).
Regarding decolonization, Shah clarified it does not mean erasing history but rather presenting history completely and authentically from an Indian perspective. He emphasized that nations preserving their memory, history, language and traditions endure despite subjugation, citing India as the prime example. The minister concluded that all institutions across villages, towns and states should be linked with Asiatic Society Mumbai to create a shared knowledge repository accessible to students, researchers and scholars nationwide.