Vishal Rana/ Hamirpur: In a groundbreaking move, Hamirpur’s Health Department is set to tackle the challenges faced by those seeking birth and death certificates from aged records. With records dating back decades, stored in the Chief Medical Officer’s office in Urdu, the current hurdle lies in the scarcity of Urdu-literate individuals. The department plans to bridge this gap by reaching out to elderly Urdu speakers in Hamirpur to efficiently digitize and translate all records into Hindi and English.

The Health Department aims to create a user-friendly website, allowing seamless access to the digitized records. Although this ambitious project is anticipated to take over a year, the department is gearing up to initiate the process, starting with the tendering for the digitization. Dr. R.K. Agnihotri, the Chief Medical Officer of Hamirpur, revealed that the department is actively seeking assistance from Urdu-literate individuals to expedite this crucial undertaking.

Dr. Agnihotri highlighted the vital role played by 96-year-old Vishnu Chand, a senior citizen proficient in Urdu and Persian. Mr. Chand, a dedicated contributor, has been diligently translating birth and death certificates written in Urdu and Persian from 1885 to 1974 into Hindi. Despite the challenges posed by his age, Mr. Chand’s multilingual skills and commitment to this responsibility showcase the dedication required for such a monumental task.

The initiative comes as a relief to thousands who have struggled to obtain certificates from approximately 140-year-old records entangled in dusty files. The Urdu records, while historically significant, have limited the accessibility of essential certificates for those in need. The Health Department’s visionary move is expected to revolutionize record-keeping, ensuring a swift and efficient certification process for the residents of Hamirpur.