History is not always written on paper. Sometimes, you see it on your screen or hear someone narrate it. That's the essence of audiovisual heritage and today happens to be the World Day of Audiovisual Heritage as declared by UNESCO in 2005, to raise awareness about the importance and preservation of audiovisual (AV) documents. Here are a few Indian initiatives and platforms who are doing a good job at it.

A story to remember

"There might be a certain charm to having an old diary or picture but one of the best ways to retain information is to tell a story. An object or photo is great when you can have someone tell you its story. Stories are part of your identity; you internalise and relate to them," says Malvika Bhatia, archive director at The Citizens' Archive of India (CAI), an oral history archive. With on-camera interviews of people who have seen India grow from pre-independence to the present day, AV documentation is central to their work.