New Delhi : Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday lauded the opening of a comprehensive digital archive of Jawaharlal Nehru's writings, calling it a "powerful compass" for anyone seeking to understand India's democratic journey.
He emphasised that works of the country's first Prime Minister are not merely historical records but reflect the evolving conscience of the nation, capturing its courage, doubts, and aspirations. Sharing his thoughts on the archive's significance, Rahul Gandhi noted that Nehru's writings offer deep insights into the challenges and triumphs that have shaped modern India.
"Nehru's writings are not just history, they are a record of India's evolving conscience. For anyone seeking to understand our nation's democratic journey - its courage, its doubts, its dreams - his words remain a powerful compass. I'm glad this legacy is now open, searchable, and free for all. It will keep getting expanded," Rahul Gandhi posted on X.
The 'Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru' have been completely digitised. The newly launched digital archive makes Nehru's essays, letters, speeches, and personal reflections freely accessible and searchable, allowing researchers, students, and citizens to explore the thoughts of India's first Prime Minister in a convenient format. The archive is designed to be continually expanded, with additional writings and documents planned for inclusion over time.
Rahul Gandhi expressed his satisfaction that Nehru's intellectual and political legacy is now available to the public without restrictions. He described the initiative as an important step in promoting historical literacy and democratic awareness, encouraging citizens to engage with the foundational ideas that guided India's formation as a sovereign and democratic republic.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh had yesterday announced that the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund has launched a smartphone-friendly http://nehruarchive.in. This is an easily searchable and freely downloadable digital archive initially built around the 100 published volumes of the 'Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru' covering the period 1903-1964, he said.
"There are over 75,000 pages and over 3,000 illustrations to begin with. The archive will keep getting expanded to cover more text, photographs, audio, and films. Archives across the world containing letters to and from Nehru are being contacted to expand the archive. Books by and on Nehru during his lifetime will be included, " he said.