India's Engineering Past Gets Second Draft
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The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) is carrying out a meticulous conservation exercise to stabilise and preserve brittle paper records, many dating back to the 19th century.
The project spans two landmark collections: the National Rail Museum's archival treasures and the Mahatma Gandhi Central Library at the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. For the rail museum alone, over 56,000 folios — some over 150 years old — are being restored, including bridge documentation, professional engineering papers, maps and detailed steam engine assembly drawings.
At Roorkee, IGNCA has accomplished the conservation of 28,000 pages (14,000 folios) and 79 monographs and calendars.
Calling it a "historic milestone," National Rail Museum director Dinesh Kumar Goyal said the work safeguarded a rare treasure trove of railway history. "In Jan this year, we signed an MoU with IGNCA for conserving more than 56,000 folios from maps charting the railways' year-on-year expansion to intricate steam engine drawings," he told TOI.
The archive also includes British-era administrative reports from 1881 to 1943, minutes of East Indian Railway meetings, fund allocation records, revenue data, passenger statistics and vintage photographs.
"These documents capture the historic importance of the railways and the monumental work done during that era," he said.
Dr Achal Pandya, head, conservation and cultural archives, IGNCA, described the mission as going beyond mere repair.
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"The aim is to arrest deterioration while maintaining authenticity so that these materials can remain vital references for research, exhibitions and history enthusiasts," he said.
Around 30 specialists, among them conservators, conservation scientists and technical staff, have been part of this strenuous work. Pandya said that archival materials were invaluable testaments to their time, offering authentic information as well as significant scientific and technical knowledge.
"Their conservation ensures that these treasures are transmitted intact to both current and future generations," he said.
IGNCA member secretary Dr Sachchidanand Joshi was more emotional: "We're not just saving paper, we're saving India's engineering soul. Each restored folio is a piece of our nation's genius, brought back to life."
The conservation process begins with a thorough condition assessment, involving detailed examination, photography and technical reporting.
This is followed by surface cleaning, typically using soft brushes and erasers and, where necessary, solvent cleaning after solubility testing. Flattening comes next, using controlled humidification and pressing to remove warps and wrinkles. The damaged areas are repaired by mending and lining with Japanese tissue and archival-quality adhesives.
If earlier restoration attempts are found to be causing harm, they are carefully removed.
Finally, preventive measures — covering safe handling, light exposure and environmental control — are employed to protect the restored materials over the long term.
Over the years, IGNCA has worked on old manuscripts and rare books, maps, drawings and official documents for ministries, museums and libraries. Such projects include conservation for Hardayal Public Library in New Delhi, the govt public library in Allahabad and the Supreme Court.
Many of these assignments combine remedial conservation with digitalisation, ensuring not only preservation but also wider public access to these priceless records.
For IGNCA, the current effort is not just about safeguarding the past, but more about keeping alive the nation's collective memory and making sure that future generations can see, study and learn from the tangible traces of India's engineering and academic heritage.
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