1. About the Campaign

The Mackenzie Manuscripts Digitisation, Transliteration and Research Project aims to preserve, organise and study rare manuscript collections associated with the Mackenzie archive.

The project focuses on safeguarding historical texts and visual records in Telugu, Tamil and Urdu by creating digital copies, secure archival backups, transliterations and research-based interpretations. It seeks to make these valuable materials more accessible to scholars, students and future generations while protecting them from physical deterioration or permanent loss.

2. The Problem and the Solution

Rare manuscripts and archival records are often stored in fragile physical formats and remain difficult for researchers and the public to access. Ageing documents are vulnerable to deterioration, mishandling, environmental damage and loss. Language and script barriers further restrict the study of these materials, even after they have been digitised.

The Mackenzie collections contain valuable historical, cultural, linguistic and visual material. However, preserving digital copies alone is not sufficient. The manuscripts must also be systematically organised, transliterated, studied and securely stored to make them useful for serious academic and cultural research.

The project addresses these challenges through digitisation, archival storage, transliteration and scholarly research.

The funds raised through this campaign will be used to:

• Digitise rare manuscripts, historical texts and visual records.
• Organise and catalogue the digital files for long-term preservation.
• Store archival copies securely on dedicated hard drives and other backup devices.
• Transliterate selected manuscript volumes into accessible scripts.
• Support researchers and language experts working on the collection.
• Review and interpret the historical and cultural content of the manuscripts.
• Prepare research notes, summaries and future publications.
• Cover professional fees for transliteration and research work.
• Strengthen the long-term preservation and accessibility of the archive.

The project has currently archived the material on 2TB hard drives and a 32GB pen drive. Additional support will help ensure stronger backup systems, continued transliteration and the completion of the ongoing research.

3. Expected Impact and Beneficiaries

The project will benefit historians, manuscript scholars, linguists, researchers, students, cultural institutions and readers interested in Indian history and Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

Progress achieved so far includes:

• Digitisation of 56 manuscript volumes from the C.P. Brown Library.
• Collection and archival of 6,780 PDF files from the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library.
• Preservation of rare texts and visual material from the Asiatic Society, Kolkata.
• Digitisation and documentation of material in Telugu, Tamil and Urdu.
• Completion of the transliteration of Volume 54 by Dr. K. Kalairajan.
• Ongoing transliteration work on Volume 48.
• Continued research by Dr. K. Kalairajan and Dr. M.L. Raja.
• The expected long-term impact includes:
• Preservation of rare historical records that may otherwise deteriorate or be lost.
• Improved accessibility of manuscript material for researchers and students.
• Greater understanding of regional history, languages and cultural traditions.
• Availability of transliterated versions for readers unfamiliar with the original scripts.
• Creation of reliable source material for future books, papers and educational resources.
• Strengthening of manuscript preservation and research in India.

4. Geographic Area

Primary Institutions and Locations:

• C.P. Brown Library: Andhra Pradesh

Current Project Status

The digitisation and initial archival work have covered several major collections. Dr. K. Kalairajan has completed the transliteration of Volume 54 and is currently working on Volume 48.

Research is being undertaken by Dr. K. Kalairajan and Dr. M.L. Raja. Their professional payments have been deferred and are expected to be released upon completion of the agreed project work. Continued funding is therefore essential for completing the transliteration, research, documentation and final dissemination of the collection.