The National Library of India is a library located in Belvedere Estate, Alipore, Kolkata, India.[3] It is India's largest library by volume and public record.[4][5][6] The National Library is under Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Currently, Dr. Prof. Ajay Pratap Singh working as Director General (additional) who is Director General of Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation, Kolkata since 2020. The library is designated to collect, disseminate and preserve printed material produced within India. With a collection in excess of 2.5 million books and records, it is the largest in the country.[7] In the early days of British rule, it was the residence of the Governor General of Bengal and India. Later on, it became the residence of the Lt. Governor of Bengal, when the Governor General's and later the Viceroy's residence moved to today's Governor House.
1836; 187 years ago (1836) (as Calcutta Public Library) 30 January 1903; 120 years ago (1903-01-30) (as Imperial Library) 1 February 1953 (70 years ago) (1953-02-01) (as National Library of India)
The National Library is a result of the merging of the public library with the Imperial Library—several government libraries. The National Library (1953), then the Imperial Library housed several foreign (British) and Indian titles and was open to the public.[8] It collects book, periodicals, and titles in virtually all the Indian languages while the special collections in the National Library of India house at least fifteen languages.[8] The Hindi department has books that date back all the way to the nineteenth century and the first ever books printed in that language. The collections break down and consist of 86,000 maps and 3,200 manuscripts.[8]
The Imperial Library was formed in 1891 by combining a number of Secretariat libraries in Calcutta. Of those, the most important and interesting was the library of the Home Department, which contained many books formerly belonging to the library of East India College, Fort William and the library of the East India Board in London. But, the use of the library was restricted to the superior officers of the Government.[9] Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee was appointed as the president of imperial library council (1910) to which he donated his personal collection of 80,000 books arranged in a separate section.
Declaring the Imperial Library as the National LibraryEdit
After independence the Government of India changed the name of the Imperial Library to the National Library by Imperial Library (Change of Name) Act, 1948, and the collection was transferred from The Esplanade to the present Belvedere Estate. On 1 February 1953 the National Library was opened to the public by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.[10] The name of National Library was changed to National Library of India by section 18 of the National Library of India Act, 1976.
Discovery of hidden chamberEdit
In 2010, the Ministry of Culture, the owner of the library, decided to get the library building restored by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). While taking stock of the library building, the conservation engineers discovered a previously unknown room. The secret ground-floor room, about 1000 sq. ft. in size, seems to have no opening of any kind.[11]
The ASI archaeologists tried to search the first floor area (that forms the ceiling of the room) for a trap door, but found nothing. Since the building is of historical and cultural importance, ASI has decided to bore a hole through the wall instead of breaking it. There are speculations about the room being a punishment room used by Warren Hastings and other British officials,[12] or a place to store treasure.[11]
In 2011, the researchers announced that the room was filled entirely with mud, probably in an effort to stabilize the building.[13]
VisitingEdit
The National Library is located on Belvedere Road in Alipore. It is open between 9 am and 8 pm on all working days and between 9.30 am and 6.00 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Government of India holidays.[3] It remains closed on three national holidays, 26 January (Republic Day), 15 August (Independence Day) and 2 October (Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi).
ReferencesEdit
^"India Ministry of Culture Budget: National Library" (PDF).
^Das, Soumya (16 July 2016). "National Library in Kolkata facing acute staff shortage". The Hindu.
^"Largest Library in India - National Library Kolkata".
^"Progress To Be Made In National Library, Kolkata". 16 December 2011.
^. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
^. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
^ abcMurray, Stuart (2009). The Library an Illustrated History. Chicago: ALA Editions. p. 283. ISBN978-1-602-39706-4.
^. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
^"National Library". www.nationallibrary.gov.in. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
^ abJhimli Mukherjee Pandey (22 November 2010). "Secret chamber in National Library". The Times of India. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
^"Haunted Library of Kolkata: রাত বাড়লে অন্দরমহলে দাঁড়াতেও ভয় পান প্রহরীরা! লাইব্রেরীর অন্দর থেকে যেন আজও ভেসে আসে গর্ভনরের স্ত্রী কান্না". The Bengali Chronicle (in Bengali). 17 June 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
^Debaleena Sengupta (22 May 2011). "Room With No View". Business Standard India. Business Standard. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
External linksEdit
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National Library of India
October 21, 2023
national, library, india, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, f. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources National Library of India news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message The National Library of India is a library located in Belvedere Estate Alipore Kolkata India 3 It is India s largest library by volume and public record 4 5 6 The National Library is under Ministry of Culture Government of India Currently Dr Prof Ajay Pratap Singh working as Director General additional who is Director General of Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation Kolkata since 2020 The library is designated to collect disseminate and preserve printed material produced within India With a collection in excess of 2 5 million books and records it is the largest in the country 7 In the early days of British rule it was the residence of the Governor General of Bengal and India Later on it became the residence of the Lt Governor of Bengal when the Governor General s and later the Viceroy s residence moved to today s Governor House National Library of IndiaFacade of the National Library of India22 32 00 N 88 20 00 E 22 533206 N 88 333318 E 22 533206 88 333318LocationBelvedere Estate Kolkata West Bengal IndiaTypeNational libraryEstablished1836 187 years ago 1836 as Calcutta Public Library 30 January 1903 120 years ago 1903 01 30 as Imperial Library 1 February 1953 70 years ago 1953 02 01 as National Library of India CollectionItems collectedbooks journals newspapers magazines sound and music recordings patents databases maps stamps prints drawings and manuscriptsSize2 5MOther informationBudget 74 crore US 9 3 million 1 DirectorDr Prof Ajay Pratap Singh 2 Parent organizationGovernment of IndiaAffiliationMinistry of CultureWebsitenationallibrary gov inThe National Library is a result of the merging of the public library with the Imperial Library several government libraries The National Library 1953 then the Imperial Library housed several foreign British and Indian titles and was open to the public 8 It collects book periodicals and titles in virtually all the Indian languages while the special collections in the National Library of India house at least fifteen languages 8 The Hindi department has books that date back all the way to the nineteenth century and the first ever books printed in that language The collections break down and consist of 86 000 maps and 3 200 manuscripts 8 National LibraryContents 1 The Imperial Library 2 Declaring the Imperial Library as the National Library 3 Discovery of hidden chamber 4 Visiting 5 References 6 External linksThe Imperial Library EditThe Imperial Library was formed in 1891 by combining a number of Secretariat libraries in Calcutta Of those the most important and interesting was the library of the Home Department which contained many books formerly belonging to the library of East India College Fort William and the library of the East India Board in London But the use of the library was restricted to the superior officers of the Government 9 Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee was appointed as the president of imperial library council 1910 to which he donated his personal collection of 80 000 books arranged in a separate section Declaring the Imperial Library as the National Library Edit nbsp Formal opening of the National Library c 1 February 1953 Among those present are from left to right B C Roy Maulana Azad HC Mukherjee SS Bhatnagar Humayun Kabir and BS Kesavan After independence the Government of India changed the name of the Imperial Library to the National Library by Imperial Library Change of Name Act 1948 and the collection was transferred from The Esplanade to the present Belvedere Estate On 1 February 1953 the National Library was opened to the public by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad 10 The name of National Library was changed to National Library of India by section 18 of the National Library of India Act 1976 Discovery of hidden chamber EditIn 2010 the Ministry of Culture the owner of the library decided to get the library building restored by the Archaeological Survey of India ASI While taking stock of the library building the conservation engineers discovered a previously unknown room The secret ground floor room about 1000 sq ft in size seems to have no opening of any kind 11 The ASI archaeologists tried to search the first floor area that forms the ceiling of the room for a trap door but found nothing Since the building is of historical and cultural importance ASI has decided to bore a hole through the wall instead of breaking it There are speculations about the room being a punishment room used by Warren Hastings and other British officials 12 or a place to store treasure 11 In 2011 the researchers announced that the room was filled entirely with mud probably in an effort to stabilize the building 13 Visiting EditThe National Library is located on Belvedere Road in Alipore It is open between 9 am and 8 pm on all working days and between 9 30 am and 6 00 pm on Saturdays Sundays and Government of India holidays 3 It remains closed on three national holidays 26 January Republic Day 15 August Independence Day and 2 October Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi References Edit India Ministry of Culture Budget National Library PDF Das Soumya 16 July 2016 National Library in Kolkata facing acute staff shortage The Hindu a b Useful Information National Library Largest Library in India National Library Kolkata Progress To Be Made In National Library Kolkata 16 December 2011 Digitization of Manuscripts of the National Library of India CDNLAO Newsletter 47 Archived from the original on 7 April 2014 Retrieved 1 April 2014 National Library Kolkata National Public Library Book Library of Kolkata My CityPedia Archived from the original on 7 April 2014 Retrieved 1 April 2014 a b c Murray Stuart 2009 The Library an Illustrated History Chicago ALA Editions p 283 ISBN 978 1 602 39706 4 National Library Archived from the original on 4 March 2012 Retrieved 21 February 2012 National Library www nationallibrary gov in Retrieved 8 May 2019 a b Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey 22 November 2010 Secret chamber in National Library The Times of India Retrieved 20 November 2010 Haunted Library of Kolkata র ত ব ড ল অন দরমহল দ ড ত ও ভয প ন প রহর র ল ইব র র র অন দর থ ক য ন আজও ভ স আস গর ভনর র স ত র ক ন ন The Bengali Chronicle in Bengali 17 June 2022 Retrieved 10 August 2022 Debaleena Sengupta 22 May 2011 Room With No View Business Standard India Business Standard Retrieved 22 May 2011 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to National Library of India National Library of India Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title National Library of India amp oldid 1165024228, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
