Gomov India Archive

Not everything in the Archive belonged to distant decades. Contemporary items sang loud too: email printouts transcribed into paper, artisanal zines chronicling neighborhood fights, and the torn flyers of activist groups. Gomov insisted the present would be the past in another twenty years, fragile and strange if left uncollected. “Memory,” he said, “is a tax you pay later. I collect the receipts.”

Explore Gomov’s collections online at www.gomovarchive.org or visit the immersive exhibit in Jaipur. Every story saved is a seed planted for the future. Gomov India Archive

The term "Gomov" (often associated with specific regional linguistic roots or a stylized acronym for independent moving images) signifies a move away from Bollywood-centric visual culture. The archive began aggregating material in the late 20th century, accumulating reels of 16mm film, Beta cassettes, and early digital formats that documented the peripheries of the Indian experience. Not everything in the Archive belonged to distant decades

Established in 2023 by anthropologist Dr. Anaya Kapoor and tech entrepreneur Ravi Mehta, the Gomov India Archive was conceived during a serendipitous collaboration in the remote tribal villages of Odisha. Inspired by the oral histories of the Koraput community and concerned about the rapid erosion of such narratives, the founders pooled their expertise in ethnography and artificial intelligence to create a platform where heritage meets modernity. The name “Gomov,” derived from the Munda language (spoken by the Santhal tribe), means “to guard and carry forward,” symbolizing the Archive’s mission to protect India’s legacy. “Memory,” he said, “is a tax you pay later

However, based on existing archival infrastructure and common digital initiatives in India, this term might refer to or be confused with one of the following official entities: 1. The National Archives of India (NAI)

: High-contrast black and white galleries of Soviet-assisted steel plants (like Bhilai) paired with local human-interest stories. 2. The Geographic/Exploration Archive