Prakash Javadekar launches new digital initiative of HRD Ministry – ‘National Digital Library of India’ on the occasion of National Reading Day

The Union Human Resource Development Minister, Shri Prakash Javadekar launched the new digital initiative of HRD Ministry 'National Digital Library of India' on the occasion of National Reading Day in New Delhi yesterday. This National Digital Library of India (NDLI) is a project of the Ministry of Human Resource Development under the aegis of National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT). The objective of NDL is to make digital educational resources available to all citizens of the country to empower, inspire and encourage learning. National Digital Library of India is developed by IIT Kharagpur.

NDL is the Single Window Platform that collects and collates metadata from premier learning institutions in India and abroad, as well as other relevant sources. It is a digital repository containing textbooks, articles, videobooks, audiobooks, lectures, simulations, fiction and all other kinds of learning media.

 Speaking on the occasion Minister said that a new era of Digital India has begun as we dedicate this Digital Library to the Nation. He said that the National Digital Library is a 24×7 ubiquitous knowledge resource that is accessible to anyone with internet access and it is built to enable the rise of Digital India. The Minister said that anybody can access the digital library anytime and anywhere absolutely free of cost and will contribute greatly to the Government’s commitment towards “Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat”.

The Minister explained that NDLI is a digital library that makes quality learning resources available to all learners and has 1.7 Crore content from more than 160 sources, in over 200 languages, everywhere and 30 lakh users are registered on NDL as on date and our target is to increase the users 10 times in a year. He said that NDLI platform is collaborative in nature and extended his regards to contributing institutions which have made available their digital repositories for integration with NDLI.

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Shri Prakash Javadekar added that apart from the website, NDL is also available on the Mobile app. NDLI Mobile app is enabling access to rich digital content of libraries across the country and even foreign repositories to users even in the remotest of areas. He further said that the App, which has been downloaded over 6.70 lakh times, is currently available for both iPhone and Android users. Users can search for content using various parameters like subject matter, source, content type and more. Right Now the app is available in three languages – English, Hindi, and Bengali.

Speaking at the launch function today, the Minister of State for Culture (I/c) Dr. Mahesh Sharma, narrated the difficulties faced by him as a student in gaining access to books, and fondly thanked the NDL initiative of Human Resource Development Ministry that would help lakhs of students in the country. He added that National Digital Library initiative by MHRD together with National virtual Library of India platform by Ministry of Culture will enable India leave an indelible mark on the World stage. He said Education and Culture are the cornerstones in the concept of India’s ‘Unity in Diversity’ and National Digital Library is a path-breaking initiative by MHRD in this direction.

Dr Mahesh Sharma also gave details about the  National Virtual Library of India as  a massive online library with resources covering tens and hundreds of fields, ranging from arts, music, dance, culture, theatre, science and technology to education, archaeology, literature, museums, cartography maps, e-papers and manuscripts, among others , in all possible forms collated and made available on a single online platform. This programme is a part of the National Mission on Libraries of the Ministry of Culture.

While addressing the gathering, the  Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shri Satya Pal Singh said that it is a very important day in the history of India as the nation gets its own National Digital Library. The Minister said that in earlier times students had to struggle because of non-availability of books and other study materials, but now this initiative will make the educational resources easily accessible. He further said that NDLaims to make a paradigm shift in education and research in India by enabling every citizen with the knowledge resources they need to empower themselves.

Shri R. Subrahmanyam, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, MHRD; Prof. Partha Pratim Chakrabarti, Director, IIT Kharagpur; Dr. N. Saravana Kumar, Joint Secretary, MHRD; Shri N. Balagopala, Vice-Chairman, P.N Panicker Foundation, Kerala were also present on the occasion.

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NDLI can be accessed through www.ndl.gov.in