"I also had the idea that some day the Institute might render useful service to this country by carrying out research in the history of Indian science." - Homi Bhabha, 1962.
At the Archives of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), every attempt is being made to pursue, in spirit, this particular aspect of the founder's vision.
The TIFR Archives is therefore, not only a repository of institutional records but also the storehouse of resources for reconstructing the historical setting within which one of India's premier science institutions was founded. The holdings of the TIFR Archives include manuscript collections, photographs, oral histories and print and audiovisual material, and a small collection of scientific instruments that were built at the Institute. Researchers will find here a wealth of resources for the history of science in India.
The TIFR Archives was set up with an initial corpus grant from the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust. Today the TIFR Archives is fully supported by The Tata Education Trust.
The TIFR Archives has preserved and documented the history of the institute. The Archives also serves an academic function and provides support to the emerging discipline of history of science. The Archives has been consulted by national and international scholars.
The idea of a separate Archives for TIFR was proposed in 1995-96 during the Institute's golden jubilee celebrations. The collection process began in 2002 which has grown over the years.