The Indian Embassy in Muscat and the National Archives of India (NAI) successfully completed a first-of-its-kind project to archive historical documents of the Indian diaspora in Oman.
- This was their first overseas venture in digitizing diaspora documents.
Key points
- Titled “The Oman Collection – Archival Heritage of the Indian Community in Oman,” the project ran from May 19th to 27th, 2024.
- It saw enthusiastic participation from 32 prominent Indian families from Gujarat, whose presence in Oman dates back 250 years.
- Over 7,000 documents in English, Arabic, Gujarati, and Hindi were digitized under this project, with the oldest dating back to 1838 and most from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- These included personal diaries, account books, ledgers, telegrams, trade invoices, passports, citations, letters, correspondences, and photographs, offering insights into the Indian community’s lives, cultural practices, social activities, trade, commerce, and contributions to Omani society.
