NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF INDIA
The National Archives of India continued to look after its normal
duties of accession, repair and preservation of records, research and
technical service, training, publications, etc. Considerable progress
was made in several sectors; but large scale achievements were held
up, due mainly to shortage of accommodation.
2. Accession.
-Owing to shortage of space, the only
records acquired during the period were those needed to fill in the
gaps in the series already housed in the Department. They consist of
2,320 files, 1,465 bound volumes (including 1,431 volumes of Revenue
Survey Records) and 15 Survey of India maps.
The Department also acquired, during this period, several
documentary collections and a number of historical manuscripts either
by purchase or gift or on terms of loan. Specially deserving of
mention in this connection are: personal papers and correspondence of
Sir J. C. Coyajee, the celebrated Indian Economist (1910-42); papers
on Bengal Famine Enquiry Commission belonging to Sir Manilal B.
Nanavati; 16 documents relating to the Indian National Army; a memoir
(in typescript) on the Indo-German collaboration during the First
World War; 2,600 historical manuscripts or documents in Persian
(including farmans of Akbar, Jehangir and Aurangzeb) and 43 original
letters of Mahatma Gandhi. The Department was also able to compile a
list of papers relating to the Constituent Assembly belonging to the
personal collections of the President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Shri K. M.
Munshi, Shri A. K. Ayyar, Shri V. T. Krishnamachari, and is
endeavouring to obtain a complete list of all papers relating to the
history of the Indian Constitution-
199 rolls of Dutch records relating to India coverning the period
1732-58 were obtained from the Algemeen Rijksarchief (The Hague)
during the year under report. The Department was also able to acquire
from the U.S.A. 67 rolls of microfilm transcripts covering, among
others, the following 'Items: records of the U.S A. Consulates in
India, and of the State Department and the justice Department of the
Government of the U.S.A. (the last containing invaluable material on
the Indian nationalists in the U.S.A.); German Foreign office records
dealing with German collaboration in Indian Freedom Movement; papers
of the American Board of Foreign Missions which throw interesting
light on Indian social life in the 19th Century. Other acquisitions
include Xerograph prints of Macartney papers relating to his Madras
period (1781-86).
641 volumes were added to the Departmental Library.
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3. Checking, Arrangement, Compilation etc., of
Accessions.
-Checking and arrangement of new accessions was
continued and 6,128 files were re-arranged. Greater emphasis was
placed on the rearrangement of the records of the late Foreign and
Political Department and its defunct agencies. About 4,29,500 files
belonging to the former, were re-arranged, and reconstructed into a
single series. Good progress was made in the re-arrangement of
records belonging to the Central India States Agency, Punjab States
Agency and Bundelokhand Agency. 84,840 documents belonging to the late
Finance, Home and Military Departments were reclaimed from the
different collections and consolidated With their parent series. 82
bundles of papers belonging to the collection known as Mutiny papers
were checked docketed and provided with indentification numbers.
Abstract lists were compiled of the records belonging to the late
Home, Agricultural and Finance Departments for the entire post-1859
period. Detailed (check) lists were prepared of about 15,000 files
belonging to other Departments and of 1,169 documents in oriental
languages received from private sources. Check-lists were also
compiled of English translations of Persian letters available among
Foreign Department Proceedings (1794-1808) and of letters issued
(1766-1846) and letters received (in 1800-40) in languages other than
Persian. Listing of Persian Correspondence for the period after 1801
was taken up. First volume of the descriptive lists of Mutiny papers
belonging to the late Bhopal Government, housed in the Bhopal branch
of the National Archives was brought out and substantial progress was
made in the compilation of later volumes. Progress was equally
maintained in the listing of oriental seals found among Persian
records, and indexing was taken up of the Persian collection known as
Alqab-namah, which embodies interesting details about historical
personages having dealings with the British Government. The
preliminary indexing of Foreign and Political Department records
(1781-83) was completed and editing of the index-entries was taken up.
Substantial progress was also made in the indexing of the map-
collection.
The appraisal work completed by the Department during the year
involved selection and sorting out and listing of 5,281 files
belonging to the late Department of Education, Health and Lands, 627
files belonging to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and 4,064
files of the late Finance Department. In addition, 240 bundles
belonging to the Ministry of Railways were checked and appraised by
the Department with a view to selecting those deserving permanent
retention.
4. Research and Reference Service.
-130 Research scholars
availed themselves of the facilities afforded for consulting records,
and were provided with the requisite guidance and research aids.
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Of the four Research Fellows working under the National Archives
Fellowships Scheme the tenure of three was renewed for a further term
of one year.
5. Preservation and Photo-Duplication.
-The Department
continued its normal programmes including air-cleaning, fumigation,
deacidification, lamination and binding of records. Micro-filming of
pre-1859 manuscript records was continued as usual and 1,72,347
exposures covering about twice that number of manuscript pages were
prepared. Besides, the Department prepared 15,476 enlarged prints,
691 of photostats, and 2,291 feet of positive prints. 27,552 feet of
microfilm were processed and 348 reels were checked.
6.Research Laboratory.
-As in other years, problems touching
different aspects of record-preservation were investigated in the
Departmental Research Laboratory, such for instance, as those relating
to durability of indigenous repair material. These researches were
undertaken with a view to finding suitable substitutes for repair
materials now available. The laboratory also conducted a careful
study of the effect on paper of various commercial insecticides and
fumigants used in Indian record offices and repositories.
7. Technical service.
-Apart from carrying out its own
preservation programme, the Department with a view to saving the
posterity manuscripts of historical value in private custody continued
to render technical: service to such institutions as well as
individuals as had no arrangement, for such services. Under this
programme, repair was completed, of 4,471 letters of Mahatma Gandhi
received from Gandhi Smarak Nidhi for interim custody, and a large
number of rare books and manuscripts belonging to the Raza Library,
Rampur, was renovated, bound and' photo-duplicated. Free repair
service was also rendered to a collection of manuscripts of Tagore
received from Rabindra Sadana, a collection of books and manuscripts
received from Asiatic Society, Bengal, yet another collection of
Gandhi manuscripts received from the Prime Minister's Secretariat and
the Gandhi documents received from Shri P. G. Deshpande. Free repair
services were also extended to a number of institutions and
individuals who, in response to an appeal from Government, permitted
the Department to keep photo-copies of original Gandhi documents in
their possession- Those who gifted such documents in original to the
Department were furnished with free copies. by this means the
Department was able to acquire 220 Gandhi documents, either in,
original or in copy.
Besides rendering free service under the different schemes
outlined above the Department extended help to 18 outside agencies by
way of repair and rehabilitation of brittle manuscripts on payment of
fees at scheduled rates. Photo-duplication service was similarly
rendered at cost to 75 outside agencies. The mobile micro-film unit
of the Department visited Jaipur and prepared micro-film copies of a
large collection of records belonging to the Rajasthan State Archives.
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8. Advisory Work and Inspection.
-70 outside agencies were
given technical advice on problems connected with the preservation and
repair of archives. Advice was also tendered to a number of State
Governments, and other organisations, official as well as non-
official, on the planning of a properly equipped repository for
housing manuscript materials or archives and other matters connected
with archives-keeping and management of records. Inspection was
carried out by the officers of the Department of a number of
manuscript repositories, e.g., Rabindra Sadan-Santiniketan, Government
Oriental Manuscript Library,-Madras, Swaminatha Aiyar Library, Adyar
Library and Tanjore Saraswati Mahal Library. Inspection was conducted
of the records of the Ministry of Finance (Defence) and advice
rendered on matters relating to the maintenance of their archives.
The Department continued to collaborate with the Ink and Allied
Products Sectional Committee of the Indian Standards Institute, of
which it is an institutional member and continued to assist it with
technical advice on writing materials and allied topics. An officer
of the Department was sent to Venezuela to advise Fundacion Eugenio
Mendoza, Caracas, Venezuela on the planning of a repair and
'preservation unit.
9.Training and Educational Activities.
-Nine trainees
completed the one-year Diploma course in Archives-keeping. Special
arrangement was made for lectures on aspects of archives-keeping being
delivered to them by eminent archivists and scholars from outside,
including Dr. Wagner of the Embassy of German Federal Republic. A
fresh batch of nine trainees including two nominated by the State
Governments have been admitted to the course which commenced on 1st
September, 1960. Five of them have been awarded a stipend of Rs. 150
each per month.
To disseminate knowledge of archive-science among the general public,
the Department brought out, during the year under report, Hindi trans-
lations of two of its popular pamphlets, "An Introduction to the
National Archives", and "Repair and Preservation of Records", and a
third pamphlet in English dealing with "Indian Seals". Another
brochure of popular interest, entitled, "Archives and Records-What are
They" dealing with the nature and importance of archives had been
brought out, while one dealing with the characteristics of Sanskrit
charters was made ready and sent to the press.
10. Exhibition.
-An exhibition of historical documents was
organised in February at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, under the auspices
of the 35th session of the Indian Historical Records Commission. The
Department continued to maintain its permanent exhibition of select
documents which attracted no less than 777 visitors including quite a
few distinguished scholars and literati from foreign countries.
Mention may be made in this connection of the famous writer of
Iceland,-S.A. Magnusson, the great German historian,-Prof. Erdmann,
the celebrated Harvard historian, Prof Reishauer, the well-known
museologist,-Dr. Grace Morley, and Dr. Retzler from Berkley.
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11. Publications.
-The different publication programmes
of the, Department were pursued with particular vigour and the volumes
brought out during the year include: Major Browne's Correspondence
(1782-85); Volume VI of Fort William India House Correspondence (1770-
72); Volume I of the Mutiny Papers (Bhopal records); Volume XI of the
Departmental journal, the Indian Archives; the Annual Report of the
National Archives (1958); the third issue of the Bulletin giving an
account of research theses on historical subjects undertaken or
completed under the auspices of the Indian universities; Part I of the
Guide to the Records in the National Archives of India; Volume I of
the Prachin Hindi Patra. Sangraha (published in collaboration with
the University of Allahabad); Volume XXXV of the Proceedings of the
Indian Historical Records Commission.
Printing was completed of the first volume of Selection from
Educational Records (containing Educational Reports 1851-71) and the
materials for one more volume dealing with the growth of Indian
universities were made ready for the press. Printing of Volumes IV
and XV of the Fort William India House Correspondence series continued
to make progress. Volume VIII was sent to the press, volume III was
made ready for printing, and further progress was made in the
editorial work connected with Volume XX. Volume XII of the Indian
Archives, was sent to the press and the editing of the materials for
volumes XIII and XIV of the journal as also those for Annual Report
1959 are well nigh complete. Editorial work connected with Volume XI
of Calendar of Persian Correspondence (1794-95) was continued and
compilation of materials for Volume XII (1796-97) was in progress.
Volume I of Persian Newsletters, to be published in collaboration with
the University of Delhi, was sent to the press.
12. Accommodation.
-The construction of an annexe to the
present National Archives building to accommodate the huge mass of
public records still lying outside that building has been under
consideration of the Government for some time past, and although an
expenditure of Rs. 24 lakhs was sanctioned for this purpose, no
progress could be made in the work owing to the fact that the Master
Plan for the Central Vista complex of buildings of which the National
Archives premises form a part, has not yet been finalised. No
progress can also be reported on the air-conditioning of the present
building due to the present foreign exchange difficulties.
13. Advisory Bodies and Committees
(a) Indian Historical Records Commission.
-The Commission
held its 35th session at the Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on 4th February,
1960. The session was inaugurated by the Prime Minister, presided
over by the Union Minister for Education, and attended by a large
gathering of
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historians, scholars, archivists and antiquarians from all over India
including the Central and State Governments, the universities and
learned societies. A number of original papers embodying researches
based on unpublished materials and bringing to light many new facts
relating to India's recent past were read, and discussion was held on
some of the vital problems connected with the preservation and use of
public as well as private archives.
(b) Research and Publication Committee.
-The 29th and
30th meetings of the Research and Publication Committee were held in
Delhi on 5th February and 8th July, 1960 respectively; both were
presided over by the Educational Adviser to the Government of India.
(c) Advisory Committee on National Register of Records.
-
This Committee was appointed by the Government of India to advise and
guide the bodies constituted by the State Governments in the
compilation of the National Register of private and semi-private
archives. The Committee held two meetings during the year and chalked
out a detailed plan for the proper working of the Register Scheme.
(d) Committee on Archival Legislation.
-Under the
Chairmanship of Dr. Tara Chand, M.P., the Committee has since
concluded its work and its report is ready for submission to
Government.
14. National Archives of India (Regional Office,
Bhopal).
-The normal duties of checking, listing, repairing,
rehabilitating, cleaning and arranging the records acquired from the
late Government of Bhopal was continued. Officers of the State
Gazetteers' Unit of the Government of Madhya Pradesh were furnished
with facilities in consulting records for the revision of the District
Gazetteers of Bhopal State and otherwise aided in their research
activities.
15. Programme for 1961-62.
-In addition to the normal
duties of the Department, the work of compiling information on
archival accumulations in different central agencies will continue,
and listing, checking and arrangement of records will be accelerated
further. Further efforts for acquiring documents relating to Indian
history and microfilm copies of material of Indian interests from
abroad will also continue.
The organisational development of the various Ministries of the
Government of India will be studied. The work of indexing the Survey
of India maps and acquisition of maps of historical importance will
continue. Editing of the indexes to the Secret Department Records is
expected to be completed.
The bindery of the Department is being planned to be better
equipped with a view to improving the quality of its work.
Volumes IV, VII and XV of the Fort William India House Corres-
pondence have been planned to be brought out. Two more volumes
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of the series are expected to be sent for printing and two others will
be prepared for the press. Two more issues of The Indian Archive's
and, the Annual Report of the National Archives of India for the year
1960 are expected to be published.
Editing of Volume XI of the Calendar of Persian Correspondence
will be completed and the text sent to the press. Compilation of
Volume XII of the series is also expected to be completed and that of
Volume XIII to be taken up. Classification and cataloguing of seals
are intended to be accelerated. The listing of the Persian
Correspondence of the year 1802-1804 is expected to be completed.
Selection of original receipts in languages other than Persian found
among the Persian records will be completed. Volume III and IV of
Selections from Educational Records' are expected to be made ready.
Both the Training and Research Fellowship programmes will be
continued. The plan for the building is expected to be finalised and
the work of construction is likely to begin.
In addition to its normal duties, the Bhopal Regional Office has
Planned to prepare a descriptive list of Jagir and Sanads. Glossary
and indexes to the descriptive list of the Mutiny Papers will be
prepared and descriptive listing of succeeding papers in the
collection will be continued.
16. Budget.
-Funds to the extent of Rs. 14,80,300
(including non-Plan and Plan schemes) were placed at the disposal of
this Department, its Regional Office at Bhopal and the proposed
Regional Office at Hyderabad for 1960-61 as against Rs. 14,93,000 for
1959-60. A provision of Rs. 15,44,500 has been proposed for inclusion
in the budget estimates of 1961-62. To effect economy, certain posts
were left unfilled during the year under review.