From 16th-century documents to land deeds: Goa’s archives dept gets digital lifeline

Panaji: For years, researchers, Goans seeking ancestral records, and people tracing historical documents have lamented about the lack of digital access to archival material. The directorate of archives is in the process of completing the digitisation of thousands of documents ranging from land registration records and notary deeds to centuries-old Portuguese documents, official gazettes and travel records. The initiative involves the scanning, indexing and preservation of millions of pages of archival material through microfilming, with online public access of some records expected by the end of the month.Additional director of archives Balaji Shenoy said that approximately 2.2 lakh pages of land registration records have already been digitised, while nearly 50 lakh pages of notary records and deeds are currently being scanned and processed.The notary records, dating from roughly 1860 to 1957, document property transactions and legal agreements that often form the basis of ownership claims. In the past, the absence of comprehensive digital records has complicated the verification of documents and contributed to disputes involving land ownership in Goa.Land registration records covering from the mid-19th century to 1978 are also being digitised as part of the exercise.The creation of metadata is a crucial aspect of digitisation. “Simply converting a paper document into a digital image does little to improve accessibility if users cannot easily locate specific records,” Shenoy told TOI.“To address this, every scanned page is being tagged with searchable information such as registration numbers, names, locations and file references. As a result, the metadata system will allow users to retrieve documents by entering details such as a land registration number, a person’s name or a taluka reference,” he said.Simultaneous microfilming of records during the digitisation process is also under way. The microfilms will be securely preserved and can be made available through legal or administrative channels whenever questions arise regarding the integrity of a digital record.The digitisation programme is also focused on the scanning of extensive Portuguese-language archival collections, including diplomatic correspondence, trade records and communications between Portuguese administrators and neighbouring rulers.“Many of these documents date back to the 16th century and are becoming increasingly fragile with age. Every page has a life cycle, and we want to protect these documents before further damage occurs,” he said.The digitisation effort also includes approximately 3.9 lakh pages comprising official gazettes, rare books and other historical publications dating largely from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.In addition to scanning original records, authorities have also digitised 20,000 and 30,000 extensive inventories and file catalogues.