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The Sikh Reference Library - inside (above) and exterior (below) after the plunder and destruction by the Indian Army in June 1984.

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SGPC To Catch Up With Digital Age

NEWS REPORT

 

 

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has decided that all rare manuscripts and scriptures and other related texts on Sikh religion and history will be preserved by using the latest technologies including digitalization.

This decision was taken at a meeting of an SGPC sub-committee which was formed last year to suggest ways and means of preserving rare Sikh scriptures, including the hand-written 'birs' of Guru Granth Sahib, manuscripts and other related rare books on Sikh religion and history lying at the Sikh Reference Library in the Darbar Sahib complex in Amritsar -- at least, the ones that survived the burding of the great library by the Indian troops long after the cessation of hostilities in June 1984 between the Indian Army and the Sikh resistance fighters within.

The meeting was held at the SGPC headquarters in Amritsar, Punjab, on Wednesday, January 22, 2014.

In a release issued later, SGPC general secretary Sukhdev Singh, who chaired the meeting, said, "A number of decisions were taken including digitalization of records. All these decisions will be put up for approval in the next meeting of the SGPC executive".

Sukhdev Singh said that in addition to computerization of all records at the Sikh Reference Library, the sub-committee also decided to set up two other similar libraries. These would be located at Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district and at the Gurcharan Singh Institute at Patiala.

"We will recruit qualified persons for all these libraries, that is, those who are well versed with the latest techniques in preserving rare manuscripts", he added.

Sukhdev Singh indicated that the SGPC had sometime back tied-up with the Mohali based Nanakshahi Trust for carrying out preservation work at the Sikh Reference Library. Some noteworthy suggests were made by this Trust which were implemented, with positive results, he added.

It should be noted here, however, that such work has already been underway for several years under the aegis of The Panjab Digital Library, an independent organization, which has been doing yeoman service in this regard on the strength of public donations.

 

To read more on the plunder & destruction of the Sikh Reference Library in the Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, by Indian troops, please CLICK here.

[Courtesy: Hindustan Times. Edited for sikhchic.com]

January 24, 2014

Conversation about this article

1: Hardev Sigh (Canada), January 24, 2014, 5:03 PM.

And what about all the manuscripts and artifacts carted away by the Indian Army, yet to be returned? With a Sikh Prime Minister and Army chief, it is all the more difficult to understand that no efforts have made to return these to their rightful place.

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