Prof.(Dr.) Ramesh Chandra Gaur (born 1 July 1966) is an Indian academic, librarian, and cultural heritage professional[1]. He is a Professor and Dean[2] (Level 15 HAG) at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India[3]. His work focuses on digital preservation, documentary heritage, library and archival sciences[4], and research ethics.
He has previously served as Director of the National School of Drama (NSD)[5] and as Officer on Special Duty for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Heritage (IIH).
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Early life and education
Prof.(Dr.) Ramesh Chandra Gaur completed his Bachelor of Science degree from Jamia Millia Islamia. He later obtained qualifications in computer applications and library and information science, followed by a Ph.D. in Library and Information Science from Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University, Agra.
In 2003–2004, he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship and worked at Virginia Tech, United States, where he specialised in multimedia digital libraries.[6]
Academic and administrative career
Dr. Gaur has over three decades of experience in academic librarianship, digital archives, and cultural heritage management. He has held senior academic and administrative positions at several national institutions, including:
At IGNCA, he has been associated with major initiatives related to digitisation, manuscript preservation, cultural documentation, and academic programme development. He has also been involved in national projects on cultural mapping and archival documentation.[14]
UNESCO and international work
Dr. Gaur has been actively associated with international heritage initiatives. He was appointed as a Member of the International Advisory Committee (IAC) of UNESCO’s Memory of the World (MoW) Programme, becoming one of the Indian representatives associated with this global initiative. He has also contributed to UNESCO-related initiatives concerning indigenous and endangered languages[15][16] and has played a significant role in the nomination and inscription of several Indian documentary heritage collections on UNESCO’s Memory of the World International and Regional Registers.
In his capacity as a Member of the International Advisory Committee of the UNESCO MoW Programme (in his individual capacity) and as In-Charge of the Nodal Office on UNESCO MoW Programme in India at IGNCA[17], he has successfully facilitated the inscription of the following major Indian documentary heritage works:
- Ramcharitmanas by Goswami Tulsidas
- Panchatantra by Vishnu Sharma[18]
- Abhinavagupta Manuscripts Collection
- Sahṛdayāloka-Locana by Anandavardhana and Abhinavagupta[19][20][21]
Additionally, Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra and the Bhagavad Gita are in the final stages of the process and are expected to be inscribed within the next two months.
In addition, he has held leadership and advisory roles within international professional bodies such as the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)[22] and the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD).[23]
International visits
Prof. Gaur has visited over 25 countries; USA, UK, Australia, Russia, Germany, France, China, Japan, Taiwan, Iran, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong , Panama, South Korea, Bhutan, UAE, Mongolia and the Netherlands in relation to various professional assignments[24]
Research and contributions
Dr. Gaur’s areas of work include digital libraries, documentary heritage preservation[25], research ethics[26], plagiarism studies, open access, and electronic theses and dissertations. He has contributed to national policy discussions on academic integrity and was associated with the formulation of India’s University Grants Commission regulations on the prevention of plagiarism.
He has authored and edited 20-25 books, published over 50 articles in national and International Journals, published over 54 book chapters in national and International books, and delivered over 900 Talks/Lectures/Conference Presentations/ Guests Lectures/Invited Talks/Keynotes/Addresses as Chief Guest, Guest of Honour, etc.
Awards and recognition
Dr. Gaur has received several national and international honours for his contributions to librarianship, education, and cultural heritage preservation, including awards related to digital innovation, inclusive access, and professional leadership.[27][28]
Personal life
Prof.(Dr.)Ramesh Chandra Gaur is married to Kavita Gaur, a library professional. He has two daughters.
References
Gaur, Ramesh C.; Dey, Sumit; Mamta, Kumari (2022). Tribal and indigenous languages of India. New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts and UNESCO New Delhi. ISBN 978-93-91045-50-0. "Ramesh C. Gaur". Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations. Retrieved 2026-01-31. Gaur, Ramesh C.; Basu, Vismay (2023). Mapping of the archives in India. Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, UNESCO New Delhi. New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and UNESCO New Delhi Multisectoral Regional Office for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. ISBN 978-93-91045-79-1.
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