Ashoka Reflections_May 2023
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Archives are a treasure trove of memories and knowledge and are an essential medium for understanding the
historical trajectory of a nation. The Archives of Contemporary India was started with the aim of building and
managing a rich and diverse collection of archival resources to promote and support the use of primary source
material for research on the modern and contemporary history of India. The objective was to create a
repository of public affairs that can inform, enlighten and educate us about our nation’s rich cultural, social and
political heritage and to facilitate researchers from far and wide to make use of the sources in our Archives.
The decision to establish an archive of private papers at Ashoka University through the donation of papers by
eminent individuals who have contributed singularly to the emergence of India as a nation and of institutions
that have played a key role in the development of literature, arts, sciences, civil society, business and other
spheres of public life was considered a bold initiative, impassable too by some. With over three decades of
archival experience in a research institution, I was clearly aware of the arduous task ahead. But our six-year
journey that began in January 2017 turned out to be a most exhilarating one.
It is never easy to convince people to part with their life’s memorable treasures - notes, diaries, letters,
manuscripts, photos, etc. One has to work towards building a rapport with the donors to earn their faith and
goodwill. To begin with, a list of prospective donors was drawn up with the help of Prof. Mahesh Rangarajan,
the Chair of the Archives. Taking advantage of his wide range of personal and professional contacts, we wrote
to a select set of eminent people for their papers with the dual offer of preserving their heritage for posterity
using the best archival practices as well as making their life’s work available for research and study. We were
pleasantly surprised when we started getting enthusiastic responses to our request letters.
We were fortunate to have Dr Manmohan Singh as our first donor. A valuable collection (digital) of his private
papers comprising speeches and writings, interviews, photos and videos covering the period 1957-2014 was
given to the Archives. Then came the response from Kuldip Nayar. After we convincingly explained to him the
Archives project, he readily agreed but wanted some assurances. We then realized the need for a written
agreement with the donor. Armed with a letter of agreement we assured him that the Archives was only the
custodian and that he (or his legal heirs) would continue to be the owner of his papers.
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