Latest news with #NationalMissiononLibraries
Time of India
24-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Plea to classify Saraswathi Mahal Library in Thanjavur as model library
Madurai: Madras high court on Thursday ordered notice to the Centre and the state on a plea seeking a direction to classify the Saraswathi Mahal Library in Thanjavur as a model library under the National Mission on Libraries. A division bench of justice S M Subramaniam and justice A D Maria Clete was hearing a public interest litigation filed by B Prabhakaran of Chennai. The petitioner stated that the 500-year-old library holds immense historical, socio-cultural, and academic significance. The library, also known as Thanjavur Maharaja Serfoji's Sarasvati Mahal Library, is one of the oldest surviving libraries in Asia, established in the 16th century during the reign of the Nayak kings of Thanjavur. The library was enriched by Maratha rulers, notably King Serfoji II, an eminent scholar and polyglot. He stated that the library, a historic repository of ancient knowledge, is currently suffering from severe administrative neglect, acute staff shortage, unimplemented digitisation programmes, and lack of preservation efforts by the govt, leading to the loss of valuable books and journals. No effective measures have been taken to ensure the preservation or proper management of the library's invaluable records. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The continued neglect and failure to implement restoration and preservation measures amount to a grave dereliction of public duty and a violation of the collective cultural rights of the people enshrined under Article 29 of the Constitution. The Union ministry of culture exercises administrative supervision over several premier libraries. Saraswathi Mahal Library falls well within the purview of the National Mission on Libraries, which is established under the ministry. Hence, the petitioner moved court seeking a direction to classify the library as a model library and to take appropriate steps towards digitisation, conservation, and implement development schemes administered by the ministry by sanctioning requisite grants-in-aid to undertake restoration measures and infrastructural upgrades.
The Hindu
24-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
PIL filed to bring Sarasvati Mahal Library under national mission
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday ordered notice to the Centre and the State government on a public interest litigation petition that sought the direction to classify the Sarasvati Mahal Library in Thanjavur as a Model Library under the National Mission on Libraries. A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete ordered notice to the authorities concerned while hearing the petition filed by B. Prabhakaran of Chennai. He said that the 500-year-old library holds immense historical, socio-cultural, and academic significance. The petitioner said the library, also known as Thanjavur Maharaja Serfoji's Sarasvati Mahal Library, was one of the oldest surviving libraries in Asia, established in the 16th century during the reign of the Nayak kings of Thanjavur. It was enriched by Maratha rulers, notably King Serfoji II, who was an eminent scholar and polyglot, he said. However, the library, a historic repository of ancient knowledge, was languishing in a state of alarming neglect. Despite its rich legacy, the functioning of the library was severely affected by staff shortage, he said. He said the library was languishing under severe administrative neglect, acute staff shortage, unimplemented digitisation programmes, and lack of preservation efforts by the government, leading to loss of valuable books and journals. Effective steps have not been taken to ensure the preservation or proper management of the library's invaluable records. Sarasvati Mahal Library falls well within the purview of the National Mission on Libraries which was established under the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry of Culture exercises administrative supervision over several premier libraries, he said. The petitioner said he had made a representation to the authorities concerned in this regard. However, the officials had not yet taken action. He sought a direction to the Centre and the State government to classify the library as a Model Library under the National Mission on Libraries and to take steps towards digitisation, conservation, and implement development schemes administered by the Ministry of Culture by sanctioning requisite grants-in-aid to undertake restoration measures and infrastructure upgrade within a time limit. The court adjourned the hearing by two weeks.
