Arts and culture online

An ambitious, open-access archive of Indian arts and cultural practices, Sahapedia, went online on April 23, 2016 through its website www.sahapedia.org (pictured). It is funded by Tata Consultancy Services, whose former chairman S. Ramadorai is head of the National Skill Development Agency, a Delhi-based non-profit organization. "Researchers and culture mavens” have been working diligently for five years, since 2011, to make this possible, mentions a press release received by Parsiana.

This online encyclopedia contains thousands of photographs, videos, articles and fact sheets about a range of Indian traditions, from the food of Uttarakhand to Goan tiatr (musical drama) to Eid festivities in South Asia. Details abound on each subject, but the user has the option of reading, watching or listening to the information available. Traveling through the country, researchers have delved into archives and recorded hours of interviews to put together the content.
Sudha Gopalakrishnan, the project’s executive director, herself a Kathakali artist, Kudiyattam expert, writer and former employee of the Sahitya Akademi, conceived of Sahapedia while she was heading the National Mission for Manuscripts. India sits on a gargantuan heap of knowledge but it is very difficult to access, even for scholars, so "we decided the internet was the way to go” to make available a record of Indian arts.
The Sahapedia team wants people to collaborate with them as the website is "curated but participatory.” So if you have a photo, essay, story or video that you think belongs to a collection, get in touch, Gopalakrishnan invites.
Registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860, donations to Sahapedia are eligible for tax benefits under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act. It also qualifies to be part of the corporate social responsibility initiatives of commercial enterprises. Sahapedia is located at C 1/3, First Floor, Safdarjung Development Area, New Delhi 110016. Tel: +91-11-41065046-47. Email: contact@sahapedia.org.in