Ashoka Archives: A Journey To The Past

In the quiet corners of libraries and the carefully curated digital spaces of archives, lie countless untold stories, waiting to be discovered. These are the stories that shape our understanding of the past, offering new perspectives and inspiring fresh inquiries. Without archives, many of the books we read, the documentaries we watch and the histories we treasure would remain incomplete. Recognising this, Ashoka too, established its own archival initiative, the Archives of Contemporary India.

Across the world, university archives act as custodians of collective memory, safeguarding documents, photographs and materials that shape humanity’s cultural and intellectual history. From Yale to Harvard, these repositories have become invaluable resources for students, researchers and the public. Following this tradition, Ashoka is carving its place as a leading archival centre, preserving the narratives that define post-independence India.

The Archives of Contemporary India at Ashoka was established in January 2017, with vital support from Ashoka founders, HT Parekh Foundation. The Archives focus on safeguarding documents and materials of modern India, offering a treasure trove of cultural, social and political narratives that help deepen the understanding of the nation’s evolution since independence of the country’s cultural, social and political past.

The Archives at Ashoka received an extraordinary start with its first archival donation from Dr Manmohan Singh, Former Prime Minister of India. Spanning decades, from 1957 to 2014, this archive includes private papers, speeches, writings, interviews, photos and videos, offering an unparalleled glimpse into one of India’s most transformative periods.. “This outstanding initiative will, no doubt, expand the frontiers of knowledge for generations to come”, Dr Singh reflected, expressing his trust in Ashoka as a custodian of his legacy.

Since then, the Archives has blossomed into a rich and dynamic resource. It now contains a number of valuable collections, which include but are not limited to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, India’s first Vice-President and the country’s second President; Gopalkrishna Gandhi, eminent historian and grandson of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi; Girish Karnad, playwright and Padma Bhushan Awardee; as well as Lakshmi Sahgal, freedom fighter and social activist. It also contains materials from institutions like the Samajwadi Party and the Shah Commission, among many others.

These collections do more than just document history – they invite engagement. Students, researchers, journalists and curious minds alike delve into film scripts, personal letters, academic papers and rare photographs to uncover layers of history that conventional textbooks often miss. By digitising vast portions of these archives, Ashoka also ensures that this wealth of knowledge is accessible to scholars and the public worldwide.

For those behind the scenes, archiving is an art as much as it is a science.. “The journey of archiving is as engrossing, daunting and enchanting as that of a researcher. They both are involved in the process of making sense of the past, albeit in different ways and towards different aims,” says Sonali Verma, an archivist at Ashoka. The meticulous process involves cataloguing materials, creating metadata, digitising fragile documents and curating exhibitions.

With over 60 collections procured within just six years, Ashoka takes immense pride in the progress of its Archives project. “It was not easy to convince people to part with their life’s memorable treasures – notes, diaries, photos, etc. One has to build a rapport with the donors to gain their goodwill,” said Deepa Bhatnagar, Director, Archives of Contemporary India.

At Ashoka, the past is not just remembered, it is being rediscovered, understood and celebrated. HT Parekh Foundations’ generous support has been instrumental in scaling this vision, ensuring that the Archives continues to grow and innovate. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to preserving India’s rich and complex history – by building a vital resource that hopes to inspire generations to come.