Authors : Anandraj K.C, Jothimani B, S Aravind
DOI : 10.64938/bijsi.v10i3.26.apr137
Volume : 10
Issue : 3
Year : 2025
Page No : 495-502
Digital libraries are being recognized as important tools for the conservation of indigenous and traditional knowledge that help to connect cultural heritage to technology. This paper analyses the role of two India basedmainstream initiatives-Traditional Knowledge Digital Library and Tribal Digital Document Repository in protecting knowledge in the digital era. The cross-checks of data were obtained from the official websites of TKDL and Tribal Repository along with policy papers, technical reports and scientific literature. Using document analysis and platform observation, the research examines preservation tactics, metadata norms, software functionalities and mechanisms, access functions, and usage. One such initiative is TKDL, which has created a digital database of more than 34 million pages from about 454,000 – 515,000 thousand Indian systems of medicine formulations adopting multilingual digitization and the Traditional Knowledge Resource Classification system into IT by CSIR in 2001 to document Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Yoga and Sowa Rigpa systematically. TDR launched by Ministry of Tribal Affairs consisting 10,000 plus digital resources maintain documentation and archival record of the tangible and intangible heritage and culture of Indian tribes to enable ethnographic, sociological, linguistic,cultural studies for achieving individuality in cultural contents. The study shows how these digital libraries contribute not only to preserving indigenous knowledge, but also to increasing accessiblity, use of research, and intergenerational transfer. TKDL and TDR are leading the best practices in information curation, metadata management and user centric design. This paper has highlighted the importance of digital libraries for harmonizing traditional knowledge with technological advancement, safeguarding cultural continuation and preventing its exploitation in theglobal knowledge resource.