|
MARITIME ARCHIVES |
|
Archives, which aims at centralization of
non-current public records of a Government or an Organization, constitutes
an interface between Administration and Society. It is true that the
purpose of records production and management within the current
Administration differs from the purpose for which archival institutions
exist. While records are ephemeral tools of administrative work, archives
play a pivotal role in mapping out the history of an organization. KOPT’s
Maritime Archives and Heritage Centre seeks to preserve the
documentary heritage of the premier Port in India. The Port of Kolkata is
inseparably linked with the urban development of the city. The trading
settlement of Kolkata grew into the capital of British India. Port system
and urban development reinforced each other. The story of the Kolkata Port
thus symbolizes the commercial and political power of the British in
India. With the termination of the British rule, the Port system in
Kolkata became an integral part of nation building programme of
Independent India.
The Maritime Archives aims to
provide an opportunity to know the history of this grand organization from
its inception to its present status, to understand its ethos and to
appreciate the quality of the people who formed it. Kept in the repository
are thousands of documents, maps, charts, photographs, memorabilia and
audio visual recordings of organizational development of the Kolkata Port
Trust.
The Kolkata Port records convey invaluable
archival material for reference and research. It is a storehouse of
information for the employees, Research Scholars and seekers of knowledge
who are really interested to know the perspectives of the maritime past of
the Hooghly. It inspires and obviously motivates the Kolkata Port Trust
employees to realize that there is a tradition that they can hold on to,
that they can fall back upon. This repository of information is aptly housed in a 100 years old heritage building, Fairlie Warehouse on Strand Road, which was the hub of commercial activity a century ago. For the benefit of those who would like to have a preliminary glimpse at the Archives without physically coming to the Centre, a click on exhibition panel will provide a view of the exhibition panel. Hindi version of the book on History of Kolkata Port by Prof. Nilmoni Mukherjee can also be viewed by clicking History of Kolkata.
|
