Bangalore ,aug 1
Tara Prakashana, a not-for-profit trust, has inaugurated India’s first 3D printing laboratory dedicated to the preservation of ancient manuscripts. In a groundbreaking initiative, the world’s oldest copy of the Bhagavad Gita is being printed using advanced 3D printing technology, ensuring its preservation for hundreds of years. This effort safeguards the sacred text’s integrity and historical significance for future generations. The laboratory was inaugurated by Dr. Shrinivasa Varakhedi, Vice Chancellor of Central Sanskriti University, New Delhi.The 3D printing laboratory at Tara Prakashana is equipped with state-of-the-art technology designed to replicate and preserve ancient manuscripts with unparalleled precision. This innovative approach addresses the urgent need to conserve India’s rich literary heritage in the face of environmental and physical degradation.Dr. Shrinivasa Varakhedi, Vice Chancellor, Central Sanskriti University, New Delhi said, “Technology can be used for both positive and negative purposes. Naturally, these polymers have a lasting property that has been used to preserve knowledge for several centuries by Dr. Mukund and his team at Tara Prakashana. This is the first application of 3D printing towards manuscript preservation in India, and I see applications of this across India to preserve our culture and knowledge. This is the next generation of technology applied to preservation that requires research and widespread application.” Commenting on the occasion, Prof. P. R. Mukund, Founding Trustee, Tara Prakashana said, “We at Tara Prakashana have been researching for the last 2 decades on preservation technology that will combine the benefits of ancient preservation techniques that enabled longevity, like palm leaf manuscripts, with newer digital techniques that enable ease of replication and distribution. We believe 3D printing for manuscript preservation offers both longevity and ease of distribution, and hence we are launching it at our center in India for the first time. Our first project on this technology is preserving the oldest copy of the Bhagavad Gita for posterity.”
