AI and Collaboration Key to Preserving India’s Ancient Manuscripts

Why Now Is the Right Time to Use AI for Digitising Ancient Manuscripts

Bengaluru stands at the crossroads of technology and heritage as India makes strides in artificial intelligence (AI). The country holds a vast cultural asset in the form of ancient scripts that remain largely untapped. These historical documents, ranging from stone inscriptions to palm leaf manuscripts, present an opportunity for AI to enhance preservation and accessibility.

Ajith S, an assistant professor of computer science at BMS Institute of Technology and Management, shared insights at a Mythic Society event in Bengaluru. He emphasized that while India is progressing in AI, the real challenge lies in collaboration. "I can build the model, but to interpret characters, I need a historian or epigraphist," he noted. The gap is not technological but interdisciplinary.

AI Tools in Decoding Ancient Scripts

The lecture highlighted the use of OCR (optical character recognition) combined with machine learning and deep learning to process historical materials. These AI tools can restore faded or damaged characters, identify script patterns, and convert them into digital data. This approach can vastly improve on traditional methods that rely on manual scanning and transcription.

Many ancient documents suffer from ink loss, mould, and physical wear, making them tough to read even with high-resolution scans. AI, with the right training on custom datasets, can go beyond these limits. However, developing such models requires significant computational resources like expensive GPUs and continuous human oversight.

The Need for Collaboration and Resources

Institutions such as Mythic Society and Karnataka Itihasa Academy are currently working on manuscript preservation, but their approaches remain conventional. Experts stress the urgent need to mainstream AI in script research. Awareness and partnerships between technologists, historians, and government bodies are critical.

Funding and incentives are also lacking, especially to encourage students to pursue historical or linguistic studies. Without viable career prospects, few will venture into this field. Most current digitisation efforts are driven by freelancers and enthusiasts rather than well-supported teams.

Ajith points out, "We need various people to come together and we need resources too." Bringing AI into this domain can help preserve India’s rich cultural heritage and make it accessible to a wider audience.

Why This Matters for Marketing, Science, and Research Professionals

• Marketing: Digitised cultural content can enrich storytelling, campaigns, and brand narratives rooted in heritage.
• Science: Advanced AI applications in OCR and image processing offer practical case studies for innovation.
• Research: Collaboration between disciplines opens new avenues for data-driven historical insights and preservation.

For professionals interested in AI applications across different fields, exploring courses and resources on AI tools and technologies can provide valuable skills. Resources like Complete AI Training's latest courses offer practical guidance on machine learning, OCR, and more.