SRINAGAR, May 21: To electronically preserve the state’s cultural treasure trove, Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages today started digitization of its rich collection of manuscripts, paintings, facsimiles and photographs.
“To begin with, the digitization work has started in Srinagar where the bulk of manuscripts and calligraphy specimen are stored,” Academy Secretary Khalid Bashir Ahmad said.
“Collections available at Jammu and Leh offices of the Academy will be taken up for digitization at the respective places later,” he said.
The digitized material would be subsequently put on website of the Academy for world-wide viewing, Ahmed said, adding “the digitization work began with the electronic preservation of the copy of 12th century Holy Quran calligraphed by Fateh Ullah Al-Kashmiri”.
Ahmad, who launched the digitization project, said the work would be completed in six months at all the three places.
Describing the collection as rich and significant, he said it depicted the region’s cultural history spread over centuries.
“Subjects of the manuscripts are as varied as religion, history, logic, astronomy, mathematics, travel, jurisprudence, calligraphy, music, politics and sociology,” he said, adding the painting section includes works of greats like M F Hussain, S N Bendre, Subramanyam, LaxmanPai and Sanyal besides prominent artists of the state including G R Santosh and S N Bhat.
The Academy has a rich collection of samples of world famous Basohli miniatures, outstanding specimen of Arabic, Persian and Urdu calligraphy, old photographs and facsimiles that would be electronically preserved for posterity, he said.(PTI)
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