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Chhattisgarh
Archival Project

About Us

Chhattisgarh Archival Project

The Chhattisgarh Archival Project (CAP) is a not for profit initiative dedicated to documenting, preserving, and providing open access to the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Chhattisgarh. This initiative is conceived by Khushal Khodiyar on 24th December, 2025.

Problem Statement:

Chhattisgarh, despite its rich cultural, tribal, artistic, and political history, lacks a dedicated, professionally managed archival institution. Existing archival materials—photographs, films, documents, personal collections—remain scattered across private homes, studios, government offices, and cultural groups. Many are deteriorating due to poor storage, lack of digitisation, and absence of preservation awareness.

There is an urgent need to:

  • Prevent irreversible damage to heritage materials.
  • Provide a centralised, accessible repository for research and public knowledge.
  • Establish modern digitisation and preservation systems.
  • Connect communities and institutions in safeguarding memory.
  • Build long-term archival capability within the state.

Vision Statement:

To establish a world-class archival and research institution dedicated to preserving, documenting, and promoting the diverse cultural, historical, and visual heritage of Chhattisgarh.

Our vision is to build a trustworthy, publicly accessible, and future-ready repository of photographs, films, documents, oral histories, and cultural materials that strengthens collective identity, supports scholarship, and inspires future generations.

Mission Statement:

  1. 1. Preserve & Protect Heritage : Systematically collect, digitise, restore, and safeguard photographs, films (16mm/35mm/video tapes), audio recordings, documents, and born-digital materials representing Chhattisgarh's diverse communities and cultures. Ensure long-term preservation through ethical, transparent, and culturally sensitive archival practices.
  2. 2. Enable Open Access & Public Knowledge : Create a freely accessible digital archive for researchers, students, artists, institutions, and the public.
  3. 3. Strengthen Community Participation : Work collaboratively with tribal groups, local communities, cultural organizations, and artists to document lived experiences and intangible heritage. Promote community-led storytelling, documentation, and cultural representation.
  4. 4. Advance Education & Research : Support learning by collaborating with universities, colleges, schools, and cultural organizations. Facilitate fellowships, workshops, and research collaborations while partnering with existing training institutes for capacity-building.
  5. 5. Build Strong Institutional Partnerships : Partner with government departments, museums, NGOs, corporates (CSR), and international cultural organizations for archival development, knowledge exchange, and collaborative projects.
  6. 6. Contribute to Policy & Institutional Development : Support the creation of state-level standards for archival preservation and documentation. Work towards becoming a recognized centre contributing to cultural policy-making in Chhattisgarh.
  7. 7. Promote Sustainability & Ethical Governance : Operate as a non-profit institution sustained through grants, government support, CSR partnerships, and public funding. Uphold values of ethical preservation, cultural sensitivity, community consent, data privacy, and long-term sustainability.
  8. 8. Foster Cultural Pride & Future Generations' Access : Ensure that the heritage of Chhattisgarh is protected not just for today but for future generations.