India, Dec. 5 -- Inside the premises of Siddharth College in South Mumbai lies an academic treasure trove-the entire collection of Dr B R Ambedkar's books, his notes, the constituent assembly debates and the first printed edition of the Constitution of India. The college has protected this collection for decades but bereft of funds for modern restoration facilities, the challenge of preserving it is growing every year.

Principal Ashok Sunatkari, who took charge in 2021, told HT that the collection included more than 10,000 books belonging to Dr Ambedkar, along with his handwritten notes, rough drafts and rare reference texts. "Experts quoted more than Rs.32 crore for restoring these, which we simply cannot raise," he said.

Sunatkari poi...