National cultural institutions

Culture of India Introduction

The heritage of a community is essentially its resource for growth - a threshold for a forward movement even if that is rather evolutionary in character. It not only constitutes the spiritual resource of the community, as also of individuals it is an essential source of an identity deeply rooted in the past. The Constitution provides that it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture.

But in India today, as indeed throughout the world, the pace of change poses unprecedented threats to the continuity of that cultural heritage. Aware of these threats, societies everywhere are expressing a growing demand for cultural preservation and renewal. Yet this social demand for culture greatly outstrips the resources available to government alone. In many countries, industrialized and developing alike, new funding mechanisms are being devised, based on the dual recognition that cultural activities can and should be as rationally managed and administered as other development programmes and that new alliances must be forged between the public and private sector, between the state and civil society. Also, at a time when the marketplace reigns supreme, it is apparent that market process often fails to deliver a socially optimal level of goods and services in the culture sector and that cultural support delivered imaginatively in a market system is entirely consistent with pursuit of economic efficiency.

Since independence, many efforts have been made both at the governmental and non-governmental levels, to foster contemporary cultural life, as well as to preserve the rich legacy handed down from our past.

Minstry of culture

The mission of the department is to preserve, promote and disseminate all forms of art and culture. In order to achieve this, the department undertakes the following activities:

Maintenance and conservation of heritage, historic sites and ancient monuments

Administration of libraries

Promotion of literary, visual and performing arts

Observation of centenaries and anniversaries of important national personalities and events

Promotion of institutions and organisations of Buddhist and Tibetan studies

Promotion of institutional and individual non-official initiatives in the fields of art and culture

Entering into cultural agreements with foreign countries.

The functional spectrum of the Department ranges from creating cultural awareness from the grass root level to the international cultural exchange level.

Attached offices

Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi

Aims to maintain conserve & preserve Centrally Protected Monuments/Sites & Remains. Also conducts archaeological exploration and excavations, architectural survey of monuments & training in archaeology. Different braches like temple survey, building survey etc.

It regulate all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It also regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972.

National Archives of India, New Delhi

Houses Central Government records of enduring value for permanent preservation and use by administrative scholars. It also assists Government Departments in their record management programmes.

Subordinate offices

National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi	Creates an understanding and sensitivity among the India Public towards visual and plastic arts and promotes the development of contemporary Indian Art.
National Museum, New Delhi	Main activities are in the areas of exhibitions, education, public relations, publications and conservation. It undertakes numerous activities in improving the displays and strengthening conservation activities.
National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property, Lucknow	Aims to develop conservation capabilities of different cultural institutions in the country and provides services to museums, archives, archaeology departments in conservation of cultural property.
Central Reference Library, Kolkatta	Responsible for Compilation and Publication of Indian National Bibliography and Index Indiana.
National Library, Kolkatta	It is an Institute of National Importance, which acts as a reference centre for research scholars. It Co ordinates and determines standards in the fields of library services in the country.
Anthropological Survey of India, Kolkatta	A scientific organization for research in the field of anthropology engaged in activities like collection, preservation, maintenance, documentation & study of ethnographic materials as well as of ancient human skeletal remains.

Autonomous bodies [1]

Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manva Sangrahalaya, Bhopal	Houses a collection and display of antiquated objects and endeavours to record and revitilise both traditional and contemporary community knowledge.
National Council of Science Museums, Kolkatta	Engaged in popularising science and technology amongst students in particular through a wide range of activities and interactive programmes.
Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, New Delhi	Maintains a personalia museum which portrays the life & times of Jawahar Lal Nehru, a library of printed materials, books ,periodicals and photographs with special emphasis on history of modern India.
Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi	The Akademi is devoted to furtherance of performing arts of India, bestows honours annually on outstanding artists in the field of Performing Arts and also arranges performances by renowned veterans as well as by talented artists of younger generation through training programmes, award of scholarships, documents etc.
Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi	The Akademi promotes the cause of Indian Literature and National Integration by way of publications, translations, seminars workshops, cultural exchange programmes and literary meets organized all over the country.
Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi	The Akademi aims to promote and propogate an understanding of India Art both within the country and abroad.
National School of Drama, New Delhi	Aims to train students in all aspects of theatre, including theatre history, production, scene design, costume design etc.
Centre for Cultural Resources & Training, New Delhi	Aims to revitalize the education systems by creating an understanding/awareness among students about the cultural plurality of India.
Gandhi Smriti & Darshan Samiti, New Delhi	Objective is to preserve, maintain and look after the upkeep of Gandhi Smriti & Gandhi Darshan Complex. Propogates the life, mission and thoughts of Mahatama Gandhi.
Allahabad Museum, Allahabad	Museum organises lectures, seminars, workshops on varying issues of art and culture
Delhi Public Library, New Delhi	It is a premier public library system of modern India in Delhi and has become the busiest public library in South East Asia. It provides services to rural, urban, folk, adults, children, students, visually handicapped etc..
Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation, Kolkatta	Promotes and supports the public library movement in country by providing adequate library services and popularising reading habits.
Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, Leh	Main aim is to develop the multifaceted personality of students through inculcation of wisdom of Buddhist thoughts , literature and to familiarise them with research work relevant to Buddhist studies.
Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Varanasi	The main aim is restoration of ancient learning and implementation of multidimensional Tibetan Studies.
Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkatta	Objective is to conserve Memorial buildings and all artefacts, modernise galleries, digitisation of artefacts, holding exhibitions, seminars and lectures.
Indian Museum, Kolkatta	Organises exhibitions, seminars, lectures and mass communication programmes. Acquires antiquities/art objects/ethnographic artefacts. Reorganises galleries.
Asiatic Society[2], Kolkatta	It is a vast treasure house of rare books/manuscripts, journals and other printed materials on Asiatic Arts and Science. It’s Museum preserves and exhibits a large stock of manuscripts, archival materials of historical importance, coins, inscriptions and sundry other objects of academic value.
Salarjung Museum, Hyderabad	It is a rich repository of global art collections. The collection of museum consists of Indian art, Middle Eastern Art, Far Eastern & European Art.
Khuda Baksh Oriental Public Library, Patna	It has the richest collections of manuscripts with over 20,000 manuscripts, 2,00,000 printed books and about 230 original paintings of Mughal, Rajput, Oudh, Iranian and Turkish schools.
Rampur Raza Library, Rampur	It is considered to be highly valued treasure house of thousands of rare manuscripts, miniature paintings, illustrated manuscripts, specimen of great calligraphers of Islamic World.
Kalakshetra Foundation,Chennai –	Integrates all art forms and regional variants thereof and to revive the ancient glory of Indian culture and set standards of true arts.
National Museum Institute Of History of Art, Conservation and Museology, New Delhi	Conducts M.A. and Ph.D courses in History of Arts, Conservation and restoration of works of arts and museology. It also conducts certificate courses on Indian Art & Culture, Art appreciation and Bhartiya Kala Nidhi
Nav Nalanda Mahavihara, Bihar	It is the only institution in India devoted exclusively to teaching, research and publication in Pali and Buddhist Studies.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute Of Asian Studies, Kolkatta	It is a centre for research and learning with focus on social, cultural, economic and political/administrative developments in Asia from middle of 19th Century onwards and the life and works of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts , New Delhi	to serve as a major resource centre , to undertake research and publication programmes , to establish a tribal and folk arts division , to provide a forum for a creative and critical dialogue , to foster dialogue between arts and current ideas , to promote an network with national and international institutions; and to conduct related research in the arts, humanities and culture. The IGNCA was launched on 19th November 1985. The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts Trust was constituted and registered at New Delhi on 24th March 1987.

Other institutions

Indian council for cultural relations (iccr)

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), an autonomous organisation of the Government of India, was established in 1950. The objectives of the Council, as defined in its Memorandum of Association, are:

to participate in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes relating to India’s external cultural relations
to promote cultural exchange with other countries and peoples
to promote and strengthen cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries
to establish and develop relations with national and international organisations in the field of culture

National cultural fund

The National Culture Fund (NCF) was established as a funding mechanism distinct from the existing sources and patterns of funding for the arts and culture in India. It will enable institutions and individuals to support arts and culture directly as partners with its government.

The National Culture Fund (NCF) was created as a Trust in November 1996.

The importance of this effort is not only in what it brings in materially but in the vision, that it carries, that it will be the society that will, to a large extent, provide for, financially, for its cultural aspirations. The NCF will be managed and administered through a scheme formulated for the purpose, which provides for a Council - to decide the policies - and an Executive Committee - to actualize those policies. The Council is chaired by the Union Minister of Tourism & Culture and has a maximum strength of 24 including both the Chairman and Member Secretary, A team of 19 members represent various fields including corporate sector, private foundations and not-for-profit voluntary organizations. The purpose for this structure is to increase non-government representation in the decision making process. The Executive Committee has the Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Culture as its President. Here too, the majority of members will be non-officials. And obviously a conscious attempt has been made to give the private sector/NGOs a decisive role in the management of the NCF so as to convey, in no uncertain terms, the fact that the NCF is truly a people’s programme in terms of people’s priorities.

National mission on monuments and antiquities

cultural forms are losing their traditional essence in rapidly transforming lifestyles in an era of industrial growth. There is, however, no comprehensive record in the form of database where such archaeological resources in terms of built heritage, sites and antiquities can be referred. Therefore there is an urgent need for a proper survey of such resources, and based on that an appropriate archaeological heritage resource management and policy can be formulated.

In view of the above, National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities was launched on 19th March 2007.

The National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities proposes to launch its activities through out the country with independent functional strategy in each state and union territory. It is envisaged that mandate of the Mission should be achieved within a stipulated time frame of five years i.e. 2007-2012.

Institute of archaeology

The Institute of Archaeology was established in the year 1985, by upgrading the School of Archaeology which was established in 1959 for imparting advanced training in multidisciplinary field of Archaeology, Epigraphy, Numismatics, Museology, Conservation, Antiquarian law, etc. The Post Graduate Diploma in Archaeology course, conducted in the Institute is of two years duration.

[1] Besides the above there is the Central Secretariat Library which is mainly responsible for providing Reference and Referral service to Registered Members, Policy Planners, Academicians, Research Scholars and to general readers etc.

[2] Sir William Jone formed, on the 15th January 1784 the Asiatic Society, an institution for enquiring among many other things, into the History, the Antiquities, Arts, Sciences and Literatures of Greater India.

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