Thesis

Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Jamnagar is a premiere most Institute of Ayurveda with status of Institute of National importance and is fully financed Institute by Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. It was formerly known as Institute for Post Graduate Teaching & Research in Ayurveda (I.P.G.T. & R.A.) under the management of Gujarat Ayurved University Jamnagar till October 2020. Institute has well equipped central library and it rich of books, periodicals, theses and manuscripts.

In the central Library of ITRA, there are 5777 PG and PhD theses from the year 1958 to 2024 are available. Out of them 5151 theses of post graduate (HPA, MSAM, MD and MS), 598 PhD, 10 Project report and 18 Panchakarma Diploma thesis. Other than in the library 483 of Pharmaceutical thesis and 18365 books, 7350 manuscripts and 3807 Bound Volume are also available. As digitalization was not so popular in India before 90’s, these data were not preserved as soft copies. Many of these theses are deteriorated due to environmental factors as well as human factors. Hence, it is our need to secure these old theses data before it gets further damaged. Now if these theses bindings are unfolded for scanning purposes, then the condition again worsens and would be impossible to rebind those old papers.

Central Library of ITRA to initiate a project for digitalization of all thesis before 2000, For this purpose procure an “i2S CopiBook” book scanner in the Central library which is specially designed for scanning books without opening the book binding. It works on special “Limb Capture” software. Special training was given to the Data Entry Operator to handle this software and machine smoothly and properly. It is because of this machine that it has been possible to scan all the theses within the time limit of two years.

In this “i2S CopiBook” book scanner, 1136 theses are scanned out of 2725 theses. All theses have their other 2 or 3 copies here we are scanned only single copy. Among them, many of the theses were damaged, papers were torn, binds were open and some didn’t even had cover pages. All department library authorities were very supportive and we are thankful to them. Damaged theses are completed with the help of department theses. First of all a shortlist was made that which theses are damaged completely, which are having some pages damaged, which are having missing pages and then as per requirement theses were collected from concerned departments like Rasashastra & Bhaisajya Kalpana, Dravyaguna, Kayachikitsa, Panchakarma, Shalya – Shalakya, Kaumarbhritya, Prasutitantra & Stree roga, Roga Nidan Vikriti Vigyan and scanned. 54 theses that were not available in the Central library were collected from the respective departments, scanned and printed, made the theses complete, the missing and damaged pages were printed and the Central library’s damaged theses were repaired. After the completion of this work, they were given library no. and the required details were entered in RIFD System and saved the data.

The project was approved in September 2020, but in 2020, due to the severe spread of COVID19 across the world, there was a nationwide lockdown. Due to which the project could not start on time. After normalization of COVID-19 has been purchase the required equipment and appointed man power in January 2021 and completed in year 2023. All PG and PhD theses from 1958 to the present are available on this online platform, and their PDF copies can be downloaded by making an online payment.

Acknowledgement

• It is my pleasure to submit this project report and on this occasion I am grateful to Director of ITRA Prof. Dr. Anup B. Thakar for his support, wishes,   constant encouragement and providing everything to complete this IMR project.
• I am grateful to Co-Principal Investigator Prof. R. N. Acharya, Director General, CCRAS, New Delhi for their continuous support.
• I am grateful to all Heads of Departments, Faculty members & staff of ITRA, Jamnagar.
• I convey my thanks to co-coordinator Dr. Swapnil Chaudhary, ITRA and Account sanction for their support during the project.
• I would like to appreciate to Mrs. Vrutika N. Pandya, Data Entry Operator (DEO) of this project for this scholarly activity during the project.
• I would like to thanks Library staff for their help during the project.


Dr. V. K. Kori
(Principal Investigator)