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Tags: Maharashtra Directorate of Archives | Jai Krishni Pantha | Bombay Sentinel

Archives to digitize copies of 200-year-old newspapersNeha Madaan, TNN Sep 27, 2013, 01.26AM IST

PUNE: The Maharashtra Directorate of Archives is considering a proposal sent by an online

encyclopaedia portal that suggested scanning thousands of old newspapers - starting from late

1700s till the 20th century. The scanned copies will be made available to researchers and

common people.

If all goes as planned, you would soon be able to access online copies of newspapers printed in

the country during the British era.

The Maharashtra Directorate of Archives is considering a proposal sent by an online

encyclopedia portal which has suggested scanning thousands of old newspapers - starting from

late 1700s till the 20th century. The scanned copies will be made available to researchers and

common people.

The department has also received proposals from some state-based private institutions to

digitize over 8 lakh religious documents, around 400 years old and penned by saints. It

includes a 4x40 feet 'pasodi' or cloth, which bears the writings of saint-poet Dasopant.

A senior official from Maharashtra Directorate of Archives told TOI that the department was

recently approached by an online encyclopedia with an international reach, where it proposed

to digitize the original copies of newspapers available with the department---which are over

200-years-old.

"We received the proposal recently. Once these newspapers are digitized, the scanned copies

will not only be posted online by the encyclopaedia but will also be on our website. The plan is

in a preliminary stageand will materialize in course of time. The encyclopaedia has asked for

newspapers not under copyright restrictions. Generally, copyright restrictions last up to 60

years from the date of publication," said a senior official of the Maharashtra Directorate of

Archives.

The department has original copies of newspapers such as Bombay Chronicle (1825-1959),

Bombay Courier (1797-1846), Telegraph and Courier (1847-1861), Bombay Times (1838-1859),

Bombay Gazette (1809-1914), Bombay Guardian (1856-1905), Bombay Native Observer (1833),

Bombay Witness (1844-1846) and Bombay Sentinel (1955-56) among others. Some are in a

very bad condition and need urgent preservation through digitization.

"These newspaper copies run in thousands. In those days, a newspaper would be published as a

weekly or in ten days. We have editions of each year up to the 20th century for most of these

newspapers, if the newspaper was published till then," the official said.

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Page 1 of 2Archives to digitize copies of 200-year-old newspapers - Times Of India

11/5/2013http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-27/pune/42459158_1_copies-news...

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A couple of private institutions, one from Ambajogai in Beed and another from Amravati, have

also approached the state archives for scanning and preserving the age-old religious documents

they have.

"All these institutions have approached the state government with their proposals for approval.

The institution in Amravati has as about 8 lakh religious documents on the Mahanubhav sect,

also known as Jai Krishni Pantha. The pantha refers to Hindu sects in the country, started by

Chakradhar Swami in 1267. All these documents are 400-500 years old. After scanning, their

copies will be preserved in both the places- at the Maharashtra Directorate of Archives as well

as with the institutions," the official said.

Also, a religious organization from Ambajogai has approached the department for scanning a

tattered piece of cloth known as Dasopant's 'pasodi'. "The 'pasodi' is 40 feet in length and four

feet in width and is about 400 years old. Scanning this intriguing piece of history is also being

considered. We are working on the modalities. We would need a big scanner which will be sent

to Ambajogai or the cloth will have to be brought to us. Both are humongous tasks," the official

said.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Directorate of Archives has received an allocation of Rs 4 crore to

microfilm as many as 15 crore historical documents it has along with an allocation of Rs 3 crore

for scanning them for the year 2013-14. The official said the allocation the state archive has

received is more than last year's, where they had received Rs 3 crore for micro-filming and Rs 2

crore for scanning.

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Page 2 of 2Archives to digitize copies of 200-year-old newspapers - Times Of India

11/5/2013http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-27/pune/42459158_1_copies-news...