Nehru’s writings record of India’s evolving conscience, not just history, says Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that Jawaharlal Nehru’s writings are not merely historical documents but a reflection of India’s evolving conscience. Gandhi made the remarks after the digitisation of 100 volumes of Nehru's selected works was completed.

He said that he was glad this legacy is now open, searchable, and freely accessible to all, and noted that the archive will continue to expand.

Rahul Gandhi shared his thoughts on the social media platform X and said, “Nehru’s writings are not just history, they are a record of India’s evolving conscience. For anyone seeking to understand our nation’s democratic journey - its courage, its doubts, its dreams - his words remain a powerful compass."

He further said, “I’m glad this legacy is now open, searchable, and free for all. It will keep getting expanded."

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also posted on X, “Facts are facts and will not disappear on account of your likes” ~ Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. In an era of deliberate distortion, disinformation and misinformation regarding Pandit Nehru and his colossal achievements for India, it is worthwhile to digitise his writings for truth and posterity."

He said he was pleased that "The Nehru Archive" is now live, calling it India’s first comprehensive, open-access digital archive of Nehru’s letters, speeches, notes, and other writings -- all interconnected and available for easy access.

"I am happy that ‘The Nehru Archive’ is now live: http://nehruarchive.in. This is India’s first comprehensive, open-access digital archive of Jawaharlal Nehru’s writings — letters, speeches, notes & more, all interconnected and freely available for easy access."

According to the Nehru Archive website, it is an ongoing digital library project dedicated to preserving Nehru’s writings, speeches, related documents, visual material, and audio recordings.

The 100 volumes of the Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, covering the period from 1903 to 1964, have now been uploaded. They are fully searchable and available for free download.

Earlier on November 20, Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh, had highlighted a new digital archival facility introduced by the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund to access documents related to the freedom struggle and early years of Independent India.

The Congress leader shared information on X and said, “The Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund has just launched a smartphone-friendly http://nehruarchive.in.”

“This is an easily searchable and freely downloadable digital archive initially built around the 100 published volumes of the Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru covering the period 1903-1964. There are over 75,000 pages and over 3,000 illustrations to begin with,” said Ramesh.

“The archive will keep getting expanded to cover more text, photographs, audio, and films. Archives across the world containing letters to and from Nehru are being contacted to expand the archive. Books by and on Nehru during his lifetime will be included,” wrote Ramesh.

Earlier, the JNMF said in a statement, “The website The Nehru Archive is available on nehruarchive.in. The entire set of 100 volumes has been digitised; they may be searched and freely downloaded, and they may be used with equal ease on the mobile as on the laptop. The facsimiles of the original print version are also available alongside the digital text.”

“This online version would be of immense benefit to anybody who wishes to study any aspect of Indian history from the 1920s to the 1960s, the years when Nehru was a major leader of the movement for Independence and thereafter was Prime Minister of the country,” said JNMF Secretary Professor Madhavan Palat in the statement.

It contains some 35,000 documents and about 3,000 illustrations. From volume 44 onward, that is, from September 1958, his speeches in the original Hindi and in English translation are also available. The documents consist of his correspondence, speeches, interviews, administrative notes on files, diary entries, and even doodles. However, this is only a beginning, it said.

"Hereafter, new items will be added in stages. These are photographs, audios, videos, books by Nehru, books and other publications on Nehru that appeared in his lifetime, any other documentation available in the public domain, the Hindi original of his speeches which had not been published in the Selected Works, and other similar items,” said the JNMF.

--IANS

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