Manipur State Archives (Imphal, India)

The Manipur State archives was established in march, 1982, under the directorate of social welfare, arts & culture Government of Manipur, headed by a trained Archivist, who is now promoted to Deputy Director, Since the occupation of Manipur by the British, the political Agency office maintained and preserved the records in scientific methods. In the year 1947, India became independent and Manipur State has its own Secretariat Records Room located in a specious room in the secretariat now known as Old Secretariat. With the establishment of the State archives the Manipur State Secretariat record office has transferred many bulk of its records to the Archives. Those records received from the erstwhile o0ffic of the political Agent, State Durbar and Council Resolution is now in the Manipur State Archives.As per instruction of the Director National Archives, Government of India, the Manipur Government constitute ed a "Regional Committee for Archives, " in January, 1983 to take proper care of all records of permanent value of all departments and offices in Manipur by the State Archives. The Minister of Education Social Welfare, Arts & Culture, Manipur is the chairman of the committee and Director, Social Welfare Arts &Culture is the member Secretary. The Committee has since taken up steps for the development of Archives Administration.Again, on the advice of the Government of India , National Archives of India, The State Government constituted a Regional Records survey committee for the private records in April, 1989. The Secretary Education Social Welfare, Arts and Culture, Government of Manipur is the chairman of the committee and Director , social Welfare, Arts and Culture is the member Secretary.The aims and objects of the State Archives office is to concentrate in a single repository all the non-current records both confidential and non-confidential as well as the private records. The Manipur State Archives accessioned the records under the following categories i.e.1. Public Records.
2. Private Records.
3. Historical Manuscripts- both in Archives Manipur & Bengali Scripts.
4. Rare books of the library.The Manipur State Archives continued to study the records of the Manipur Secretariat Records, deputy Commissioner of all the Districts and District & Session Court, Imphal and prepared the lists of the records. This Department collected the following records from different Government offices, i.e.1. 2,500 files, (from the year,1826 to 1950).
2. Manipur State Administration Report, from the year, 1869 up to 1962.
3. Manipur state Durbar Proceedings (1907-1947).
4. Manipur State Council Proceedings (1947-1962).
5. Diaries of the Manipur Political Agents and Assistant Political Agent (1886-1947).
6. Parawanas and orders of the Manipur Maharaja & the Political Agent in Manipur from the year ,1891 to 1947.
7. Acts & Rules of Manipur 1947 to 1980.
8. Rare Manipur Records collected from India office Library, London in the Microfilm Rolls.Private Records:The Manipur state Archives accessioned the private Records from different custodians,i.e.1. Collection of late Neta Irabot Singh, generally known as Jananeta the great Freedom Fighter of Manipur (1896 to 1951) from Takhelambam Ibotombi Singh, Keisamthong , Imphal, (3000 pages).
2. Laikhuram Khogendrajit, the Freedom Fighter , from his son Shri L.Ibobi Singh, Wangkhei, (3000 pages).
3. Padmashri N.Khelchandra Singh, Uripok relating to Manipur Records (500 pages).
4. Pandit Charoiba's collection (40 bulks) Lalambung.The State Archives collected and preserved many valuable historical manuscripts in Archaic Manipuri and few manuscripts of Bengali scripts.From the year,1987,with the Financial Assistance of the National Archives of India, Manipur State Archives have prepared Guide volumes of Records. Now it has completed 18 volumes. The total books published by the Department is 24 in numbers since 1982.In Manipur, the Archives Week Celebration has been annually celebrated as a part of the international programme. During the Archives Week, the department exhibits the records for the wide publicity of Archives Movement in Manipur. The Manipur State Archives provides research facilities to the bonafide research Scholars.