Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that over 20 crore historical documents have been digitised and made accessible through the National Archives of India's Abhilekh Patal portal, marking a major step in connecting citizens with the country's past.
Speaking during the 133rd episode of Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister highlighted the growing role of technology in preserving and sharing historical knowledge.
The Abhilekh Patal Portal for Access to Archives and Learning offers reference material from nearly 100 million files preserved by the National Archives.
Prime Minister Modi said the initiative has made invaluable documents easily accessible to the public.
"In these rapidly changing times, technology has become a huge part of our lives. Today, we are witnessing the wonders of technology in connecting our past with the present. A recent development in this direction has delighted those involved in education and history," he said.
He pointed to rare collections now available online, including 7th-century Gilgit manuscripts written on Bhoj Patra and the 8th-century text Shri Bhuvalay, known for its numerical grid-based structure.
The portal also hosts important correspondence, including letters linked to Rani Lakshmibai, shedding light on her role during the 1857 uprising.
"For those who are great admirers of Netaji Subhash, there are many documents related to Netaji's life, the Azad Hind Fauj, and his speeches. You will also find many documents related to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya ji. These include important information related to the establishment of BHU and the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan," he said, referring to Subhas Chandra Bose and Madan Mohan Malaviya.
PM Modi added that several rare records related to India's Constituent Assembly are also available on the platform. "Many unique documents related to our Constituent Assembly are also available here. I urge all of you to visit www.abhilekh-patal.in. It will give you a wonderful experience of our history," he said.