The Citizens’ Archive of India was founded just before India’s 70th Independence Day in a bid to preserve personal histories through Oral History and Material Memory.
Our Vision
The Citizens’ Archive of India was founded just before India’s 70th Independence Day in a bid to preserve personal histories through Oral History and Material Memory. For decades, Oral History has been considered an important supplement to written sources by historians the world over.
Our vision is to use oral history and material memory to save our country’s cultural legacy. Oral tradition and learning form an integral part of India’s heritage. We wish to preserve the link between generations of Indians and build the country’s story through its best storytellers – its people.
Our Mission
Record & Archive
To record and archive the personal stories of Indian citizens using oral history and material memory.
Public Access
To create a publicly accessible archive for scholars, students, and ordinary citizens who wish to listen to and learn from these stories.
Foster Dialogue
To foster dialogue and mutual understanding about the nation’s past, present, and future through education and outreach programmes.
History of the Archive
When and by whom was the archive founded?
The archive was founded in 2016, by Rohan Parikh, a businessman, educator, and history buff.
Why was it founded?
Rohan was inspired to preserve these stories when he lost his grandmother while he was expecting his first child. He realised then that his daughter would never hear her stories the way he did as a child. This sparked a drive to preserve the stories of grandparents everywhere.
Do you have a physical collection?
No. CAI is entirely digital! While interviews are of course recorded, the project also digitally preserves various records, such as letters, newspapers, documents, personal photographs, historical photographs, and other memorabilia.
Those who choose to share their material with us retain the physical objects.
So who uses all this material, anyway?
People of all ages and backgrounds use our archive – from students and scholars to filmmakers and writers. College students and seasoned historians draw on it for research, while schoolchildren (some as young as four!) explore it for their projects. The material has found its way into children’s storybooks, books on marketing and business history, and even the Ms. Marvel TV show.
Can I use the archive?
Yes! Everyone is welcome to use the archive.
I have a project in mind. Can I work with you?
Yes! We work with independent oral historians and archivists who want a platform for their work
A Growing Record of Citizen Histories
380
+
Citizens documented
700
+
Hours of recorded interviews
14
+
Languages Stories told across India