Ministry of Culture Digital Transformation Initiatives
The Ministry of Culture has implemented comprehensive digital archiving and collection management systems to preserve India's cultural assets through extensive digitization efforts. The JATAN software, developed by C-DAC Pune, serves as the primary tool for digitizing museum collections and archival resources, resulting in a national digital repository accessible through the Museums of India portal. This portal currently hosts digitized collections from eight National Level Museums, two ASI Site Museums, and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Museum, Pune.
Digital Repository Statistics
As detailed in Annexure-I, the digitization status across major museums shows significant progress: National Museum has digitized 206,169 artifacts with 105,452 (51.15%) available online; Indian Museum has 108,000 artifacts with 77,943 (72.17%) available; Victoria Memorial Hall shows 28,394 artifacts with 27,922 (98.34%) available; Salar Jung Museum has 48,367 artifacts with 47,504 (98.22%) available; Allahabad Museum has 70,121 artifacts with 62,988 (89.83%) available; NGMA New Delhi has 15,929 artifacts with 12,555 (78.82%) available; NGMA Mumbai has 1,457 artifacts with 1,461 (100%) available; and NGMA Bengaluru has 534 artifacts with 534 (100%) available. The total collection stands at 478,971 artifacts with 336,359 (70.23%) available on the website.
Specialized Digital Initiatives
The Gyan Bharatam Mission safeguards India's manuscript heritage with over 350,000 digitized manuscripts available on its portal. The National Archives of India maintains the 'Abhilekh Patal' portal for archival records access. Birla Industrial & Technological Museum developed a National Science & Technology Digital Archive containing papers, letters, and manuscripts of eminent Indian scientists, launched on December 5, 2024.
Technology Integration and Innovation
The National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) leads research and development in museum display technologies, integrating augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision, and sensor-based interactions. Their R&D focuses on motion tracking, eye-tracking, smart content adaptation, and touchless interaction technologies. Indian Museum collaborates with IIT Kharagpur for AI-based restoration of archaeological artifacts and with Google Art & Culture for virtual exhibitions, incorporating AI-based interactives and AR-based visitor engagement tools.
Institutional Network and Modernization
NCSM operates 26 science museums/centers across India, as listed in Annexure-II, located in West Bengal (6 units), Karnataka (2), Odisha (3), Maharashtra (2), Tamil Nadu (1), Uttar Pradesh (1), Andhra Pradesh (1), Assam (1), Madhya Pradesh (1), Kerala (1), Haryana (1), Goa (1), Himachal Pradesh (1), Bihar (1), and Gujarat (1). Under the Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science (SPoCS), NCSM has modernized six science centers in Ranchi (Jharkhand), Sukanta Academy (Tripura), Nagaland Science Centre (Dimapur), Shillong Science Centre (Meghalaya), Mizoram Science Centre (Aizawl), and Manipur Science Centre (Manipur).
Additional Digital Access Initiatives
The Archaeological Survey of India has launched mobile applications for museums at Hampi (Karnataka) and Nalanda (Bihar) providing virtual tours and digital access to artifacts. IGNCA has undertaken comprehensive digital preservation covering manuscripts, photographs, rare books, audio-visual recordings, and cultural documentation, with specific focus on Mithila art traditions. The Centre for Cultural Resources and Training organizes educational visits to cultural institutions including National Museum, National Gallery of Modern Art, National Crafts Museum, and various heritage monuments across India.