First Indian Diaspora Document Digitization In Oman Concludes

In collaboration of India National Archives of India (NAI), the Indian embassy in Muscat has accomplished a ground breaking initiative: the successful archiving of historical documents belonging to the Indian diaspora in Oman.

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Named 'The Oman Collection - Archival Heritage of the Indian Community in Oman,' this special project focused on digitization and oral history.

It was conducted at the Embassy of India in Muscat from May 19 to 27.

It saw an enthusiastic participation of 32 prominent Indian families hailing from Gujarat, whose presence in Oman spans several generations and dates back 250 years, the Indian embassy in Muscat said in a statement.

This marks the first overseas project of the NAI for digitising and archiving diaspora documents, marking an important step in preserving the history and heritage of the Indian community abroad.

Currently, Oman is home to nearly 700,000 Indians. Both countries share a rich tapestry of historical and cultural connections that go back 5000 years.

In recent times, several merchant families mainly from Mandvi, Surat, and other parts of Gujarat have been resident in Sur, Muttrah, and Muscat since the late 18th century CE.

They are an integral part of the Omani society. Moreover, many of them have become Omani citizens now, but also maintain strong ties with the motherland India.

During the collection, over 7000 documents in English, Arabic, Gujarati, and Hindi languages from the private collections of the old Indian merchant families were scanned and digitized under this project.