Arts _ Culture Compilations Part 1 (Chapter 5 IMPORTANT INSTITUTIONS)

All India Radio

  • National broadcasting service planned, serviced, developed & operated by Min. of Information & Broadcasting. 
  • Operations began in 1936. Objectives- to inform, educate, entertain the masses. 
  • Today- 198 Broadcasting centres+ 305 transmitters. 
  • Coverage- 90% in area. 97.3% in population. 
  • 24 languages, 146 dialects, 24 languages in extended provinces. 

Allahabad Museum

  • Under the aegis of aegis of Dept. of Culture. GOI declared it an institution of national importance in 1985. 
  • Has fabulous collection of Bharat Bhumara & Jamsot Sculptures+ teracotta from Kausambi, Bhita, Jhusi, Pataliputra, Sarnath, Rajghat, Ahichchatra. Also has paraphernalia of Nehru family. Manuscript of “An Autobiography” by J L Nehru.
  • Paintings of Abanindranath Tagore, Jatin Roy, Nandalal Bose, Atish Kumar Haldar, Kshitindranath Mazumdar & Sudhir Ratan Khastgir. Other important paintings of Vijayavargiya.
  • Foreign Paintings- Nicholas Roerich, his son Svetsolav Roerich & Anagarika Govinda. 
  • Introduced courses in Archaeology, conservation of Museum & library materials & appropriation of art objects. 

Anthropological Survey of India

  • Dec 1945-established, as scientific orgn. Under Dept. of culture, GoI. HQ-Calcutta, Regional Centres(RC)- Nagpur, Mysore, Shillong, Dehradun, Port Blair & Jagdalpur.
  • Acts as nodal orgn. Of scientific research in anthro. & allied disciplines in the country.
  • Responsible for conducting bio-cultural research of tribes etc & entire gamut of human evolution in India.

Archaeological Survey of India

  • Functions as an attached office of Dept of Culture, Min of Culture, Youth Affairs & Sports. Estb1861(primary tasks of conservation, preservation & maintenance of centrally protected monument & sites)
  • Multifarious activities include-

i)Carrying out archaeological excavations

ii)chemical preservation of monuments+ antiquarian remains.

iii)architectural survey of monuments.

iv)bringing out archaeological publications.

v)carrying out archaeological expeditions abroad(both excavation+ conservation).

vi)carrying out underwater archaeology.

  • Declared 3598 centrally protected monuments- of national importance including 16 world heritage monuments.

Asiatic Society

  • Founded- 1784 by William Jones, obj- of inquiring into history, arts, science, literature of Asia.
  • Has contributed to growth of literary+ scientific activities in country.
  • GOI- declared it of national imp. In 1984. 
  • One of leading centres of Ideology in the world. 

Bharat Bhavan 

  • Independent trust created under Legislature of MP state.
  • Multi-arts complex providing interactive proximity to verbal, visual+ performing arts.
  • Place for contemporary articulation, reflection+ innovation.
  • Consists of:

i)Roopankar- Museum of Arts, which houses both contemporary urban+folk+tribal arts.

ii) Rangmandal- professional repository having an indoor theatre called Antarang & outdoor theatre called Bahirang.

iii)Vagarh- centre for Indian Poetry, Library of 7000 books in 14 Indian Languages & Video Cassettes.

iv)Anhad- Library of classical+ folk music.

Calico Museum of Textiles

  • 1949-estb. By Gira Sarabhai; collection of rare, exquisite fabrics from different parts of India.

Central Hindi Directorate

  • Obj:- fulfilling the Constitutional obligation of Art 351 to develop+ propagate cause of Hindi Language all over India+ abroad. It has schemes to purchase, publication of free distribution of books to non-Hindi speaking states, Indian Embassies+ Consulates abroad. Journals- Bhasha, Varshiki, Sahityamala.

CCRT

  • Centre for Cultural Research & Training-autonomous org. under GoI in May 1979. 
  • Admin control of Dept. of Culture. HQ-Delhi. RC- Udaipur, Hyderabad. 
  • Obj:- link education with culture, awaken the consciousness of students about significance of Culture.
  • Conducts variety of programmes(training) for in-service teachers, to help them gain deeper understanding of Indian Art+Culture. 
  • Implements Cultural Talent Research Scholarship Scheme. 
  • CCRT Teachers Award- select teachers every year in recognition of outstanding work in field of education & culture.

Central Institute of Buddhist Studies 

  • Est:-1959. Train students in Buddhist philosophy, literature & arts. Affiliated to Sampuranand Sanskrit Vishwa Vidyalaya, Varanasi.

Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies 

  • given “Deemed University” status from April 1988, autonomous organization fully financed by GoI.
  • Estb:- objective to preservation of Tibetan Culture+ tradition restoration of ancient Indian Literature preserved in Tibetan Languages & providing higher education in Buddhist Studies.

Central Institute of Indian Languages

  • Mysore. Primarily involved in research in analysis, pedagogy, technology & use of language. Various schemes designed towards development of Indian Languages.
  • RC- Bhubaneshwar, Mysore, Patiala, Solan & Lucknow.
  • Encourage publication in Indian Languages including Tribal Language.

Central Secretariat Library 

  • Originally known- Imperial Secretariat Library. Estb:-1891. Collection of 8 lakh volumes.
  • Provides facilities for reference & research to Central Govt offices & organizations, employees, general readers, research scholars. Well-equipped in modern gadgets, including latest reprographic+ micrographic facilities.

Dairatul- Maarifil- Osmania 

  • Hyderabad. 1888- Imadul-Mulk Sayyid Hussain Bilgrami, Fazilat Jang & Mulla Abdul Qayyam under patronage of Mir Osman Ali, Nizam of Hyd.
  • Obj:- to collect, preserve and publish rare & hitherto unpublished works connected with Islamic learning. Has published 100s of rare works in Arabic.

Darul Musamiffen

  • 1914. Azamgarh, UP, by Maulana Shibli Nomani. Academy of research in Islamic studies+ publication of works on Islamic learning & history+ culture. 
  • Biography of Prophet Mohammad “Sirantum- Nabi” kept here in 6 volume. Monthly under Journal- Maarif.

Darul-Uloom, Deoband 

  • Deoband, UP. 1866 by Haji Modh. Abid Hussain.1 of the foremost centres of Islamic Learning in Asia. 
  • 13 academic depts provide instructions in 22 disciplines including Quran & Quranic Commentary, Science of Recitation of Quran etc. Certificates are recognized by premium religious institutions of the world like Al-Azhar University of Cairo & Madina University of Saudi Arabia.
  • It has a governing body headed by “Sarprast”(chancellor).

Delhi Public Library

  • Estb:-1951. Financial & technical assistance from UNESCO. Consists of:- central Library+zonal library @ Sarojini Nagar+ 4 branch libraries, a Braille Library, 3 sports Libraries, special outlet for Central Jail. It is a recipient of library under Delivery of Books Act.

Department of Culture 

  • Earlier- Ministry of HRD, now shifted to newly created Min of Culture, Youth Affairs & Sports. 
  • Set up-1985. Came into existence-174th Amendment of GoI (Allocation of Business Rules),1961. 
  • Plays a vital role into preservation, promotion & dissemination of art & culture. 
  • Major activities include providing financial aid through schemes & grants.
  • Boosts cultural ties with different countries in the world through Cultural Exchange Programs. 
  • Training courses & observing centenaries & anniversaries of great persons.

Department of Youth Affairs & Sports

  • Obj:- Developing human potential in field of youth affairs & sports. Various programmes & schemes gives assistance, training & awards to ogranizations, sports persons & youth to motivate them to contribute towards national development. 
  • Also responsible for promoting sports & games in the country. 
  • Acquired separate identitiy-1985- coinciding with International Youth Year.
  • Implements different sports promotion schemes with the aim of achieving excellence in Sports @ national+ International.

Directorate of Film Festivals 

  • Responsible for organizing national & International film festivals in India, organizing film weeks in India+ abroad.
  • Also responsible for organizing national film awards annually.

Doordarshan

  • 1959, Foremost Tv Network. 1 of the largest broadcasting organization in the world.
  • Operates 21 channels, network of 47 programme Production Centres & 1008 Transmitters.
  • Puts over 1393 hours of programmes every week. 
  • 87.9% of the country’s population- terrestrial signals. 40 million people watch.

Films Division 

  • 1948; Central film producing org. of GoI. 
  • Prime responsibilities:- production & distribution of short & documentary films.

Films Finance Corporation 

  • 1960; GoI in order to improve the standard for film production & to sponsor Film Festivals & Finance weeks.

Film & Television Institute of India

  • 1960; Pune.
  • Member of ILCET(International Liasion Centre of Schools of Cinema & Television).
  • Organization of world’s leading schools of film & television. 
  • Prime Obj:- importing of organized technical training in the art of film making.
  • Every year, FTII invites national+ Internationally renowned film makers as guest lecturers. Has churned out 100s of successful directors, actors, cameramen & technicians.
  • The Television wing of Institute mainly caters for the training needs of production & technical assistance staff of Doordarshan.
  • Short term orientation courses for IIS(Indian Information Services) officers & students of film department.
  • FTII enters short films by students in various international short film festivals to give exposure to their work.

French Institute of Indology 

  • 1955, Pondicherry. Research Centre for Indian Languages & Culture. Science and technical section prepares vegetation maps of soil types, geology and lithology of India. 

Gandhi Smriti & Darshan Samiti

  • Set up Dept of Culture-1984 as Gandhi Samiti. 
  • Primarily to maintain the national memorial of Gandhiji & the photo exhibition @ Rajghat called Gandhi Darshan, created 2 the time of Gandhiji’s birth centenary in 1969. It has published number of books on life & values of Gandhiji. 
  • Organises Gandhiji Memorial Lectures by eminent scholars both in India+ abroad.

Indian Council for Cultural Relations

  • Estab:- 1950. Autonomous Orgn. Of GoI.
  • Obj:-

a. to participate in formulation & implementation of policies+ programmes relating to India’s external cultural relation.

b. Promote cultural exchanges with other countries & peoples.

c. Promote+ strengthen cultural relations & cultural understanding between India & other countries.

d. Establish & develop relations with national & international organizations in field of culture.

e. Arranges for exchanges of visits by scholars, academicians, opinion makers, artists & writers as well as visits by performing arts groups & exhibitions.

f. Also administrators scholarships schemes for foreign students for studies in India; organizes the Maulana Azad Memorial Lecture+ Maulana Azad Essay Competition+ J L Nehru Award for International Understanding.

  • ICCR’s president- VP of India. ICCR currently- 2 VP’s and a DIR. GEN. ICCR’ HQ- Azad Bhavan, New Delhi.
  • RC- Bangalore, Calcutta, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram. 
  • Abroad- Cairo, London, Berlin, Colombo, Durban, Georgetown, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Moscow, Port Louis, Port of Spain.

Indian Council of Cultural Research

  • 1972; under MOHRD. HQ- Delhi. 
  • Formulates+ implements policy on historical research & encourages scientific writing of history through research projects, seminars, publications & grants. 
  • Awarded so far, 1822 fellowships 7 2291 study-cum travel agents.

Indian Institute of Islamic Studies

  • 1964; New Delhi. Effort of Hakim Abdul Hamid, Chairman of Hamdard National Foundation. 
  • Largest Islamic Institute in India.
  • Obj- to foster the study of Islamic culture+ civilization+ provide facilities for research in the impact of Islam on India+ abroad.

Indian Museum, Calcutta

  • 1814; Asiatic Society. Oldest+ largest institution of its kind in India.
  • Houses unique features of Indian+ foreign art representing centuries of cultural ethos. Vast gallery of paintings, coins, sculpture, bronzes, metals, textiles & decorative art. Mineralogy Gallery has very extensive collection of Minerals from India all over.
  • Numismatic gallery displays punch marked coins from 5 BC to 2 AD. Greek+ Arab+ Gupta Period.

Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts

  • Estb- Autonomous trust in memory of Mrs Gandhi. 
  • Conceptualised as a centre for the study of various art forms. 
  • Implements the projects of strengthening the national facility for interactive multimedia documentation of cultural resources with UNDP assistance.
  • It has 5 divisions:-

i) Kalanidhi- repository of reference material relating to humanities & arts, outstanding library+ cultural archives with access to multimedia databases.

ii) Kalakosa- deals with research work on publications of works on art.

iii) Janapada Sampada- undertakes to build core collection of material on folk+ tribal arts+ crafts.

a)Loka Sampada- which revolved sround a community.

b)Kshetra Sampada- resolves around the region.

iv)Kala Darshan- aims to provide a form for facilitating a creative dialogue amongst cultures, disciplines, diverse arts.

v)Sutradhara- gives administrative, managerial & organisational support to all other division. Nodal administrative division serves as central coordinator of programmes.

IGNOU

  • Estab:- 1985, provide cost-effective, quality education to large sections of population, particularly to disadvantaged sections, remote+ flung areas. 
  • Pioneer in Distance Education. Recipient of Centre of Excellence in Distance Learning Award by Commonwealth Learning in 1993.
  • Has also constituted Distance Education Council(DEC) through which it provides expertise & assistance to other open & Distance Learning Institutions in Country.
  • 504 study cetres, 24 regional centres, 47 programmes consisting of 533 courses. 6 Lakh students

Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya

  • Autonomous org. 1987. under Dept of Culture. 
  • Depicts evolutionary story of humankind in Global Perspective but with special focus on India. 
  • Open Air Museum. Indoor Display Galleries. 36 pre-historic rock shelters; 1000-6000 year old paintings. 
  • (Anthropological objects of National heritage)- involved in retrieving. 
  • Also participated in World Congress on Archaeology. Ethno-biology, Musicology, Rock Art, Museography, Bio-Diversity, Indigenous Knowledge+ Cultural Diversity, Conservation etc.
  • To establish common platform for dialogue, technology transfer & collaboration for community regarding action combining Ecology, Economics+ Employment.

Institute of Islamic Studies, Aligarh

  • 1954.
  • Promote Islamic Culture & civilization & study the atmosphere( political, social, economical) in Islamic Countries. 
  • Offers Diploma in West Asian Studies & also Mphil+ PhD.

Jamia Millia Islamia

  • Aligarh, 1920 during Khilafat & Non-Cooperation Movement in response of Gandhiji’s call to boycott govt supported educational institutions. Moved from Aligarh to Delhi in 1925.
  • Designated as Central University in 1988 by an Act of Parliament. 
  • UG+ PG Courses in various disciplines.

Jamia Nazimiya, Lucknow 

  • 1890; Sayyid Nizam. One of the leading colleges in India imparting education in Shia theology. 
  • Administered by a committee of Shia scholars.

Jamia Nizamiya, Hyderabad 

  • Hazrat Hafiz Mohd Anwarullah Farooq in 1872 for propagation of Islamic Studies.
  • Was partronised by Mir Osman Ali Khan, Nizam of Hyderabad. Has produced 1000s of Hufaz & scholars who have great reputation.
  • Offers courses of 2-8 years education on Fundamentals of Islamic Sciences, Hadith, Islamic Law.
  • Fatwas issued by it are recognized by every court in India. Recognized by Al-Azhar, Cairo+ Al Qurrah University of Makkah+ Jamia Islamia of Medina.

Kalakshetra 

  • Means “Holy Place of Arts”. 1936– Rukmini Devi Arundale as a cultural academy of preservation of traditional values in Ind Art, Dance+ music. 
  • Govt took over– Presidential Ordinance- 29th sept 1993- declared it as an Institution of National Importance. 
  • Order replaced by an act of Parliament(Kalakshetra Foundation Act(No 6 of 1994). Since then, autonomous org- Dept of Culture. 
  • Modeled on Concept of “Gurukul” where music, dance, painting is taught to both sexes from all over the world. 
  • Curriculum of dance students includes classes on dance story based on “Abhinaya Darpana”. Music is a subsidiary for dance students. 
  • Kalakshetra even produces dance students & other productions made available to the public- the best of Indian classical arts.

Kalamandalam

  • Well known school for “Kathakali” in Kerala founded by V N Menon.
  • Serves as the meeting point of Northern+ Southern styles of Kathakali as well as other dance forms such as Mohiniattam, Koodiyattam etc. 
  • Houses the imposing architectural landmark- Koothambalam.
  • 1930; Govt of Kerala took over its maintenance- 1941.

Khudha Baksh Oriental Public Library

  • Patna. Estb- 1891. Declared as institution of National Importance in 1969 by an act of Parliament.
  • Richest collection of Oriental Texts preserved by Khan Bahadur Cheeta Baksh, who handed it over to GoI for preservation.20,000 manuscripts in various Oriental Languages like Persian,Urdu, Arabic depicting world’s richest Islamic heritage. Rare Manuscripts like Holy Quran written in Naksh- 1269 AD by a calligrapher Yaquit-at-Mustasami; Dioscorides’ work on medical plants, Treatises of Thabit Kurra, poetical works of Mirza Kamran, brother of Humayun & manuscripts to bearing signatures of Jahangir & Shah Jahan.
  • Has been recognized as a centre of research by 7 universities for awarding degrees of PhD/M.Phil. Brings out quality Research Journal.

Lalit Kala Academy

  • National Academy of Fine Arts established by GoI-1954. 
  • Promotes study+ research in painting, sculpture & architecture & other applied arts. Promotes cooperation among art associations+ encourages exchange of idea between various schemes of art. 
  • Organizes “Rashtriya Kala Mela”(National Exhibition of Arts) every year+ Triennale India, an international exhibition, once in 3 years. Gives 10 National Awards

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