The Rajasthan Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Arabic Persian Research Institute, Tonk is quenching the thirst of the researchers throughout the world like an oasis in the desert of Rajasthan.The beautiful building of The Rajasthan Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Arabic and Persian Research Institute Tonk is situated in the valley of two historical hills of Rasiya and Annapoorna. The Institute is installedwith district head quarters at Tonk, state Rajasthan in India. The Institute is 100 kms. away at the southern side fromthe state capital Jaipur. The climate of the area is almost dry. Only bus service is available to approach to Tonk from Jaipur. The area of the Institute's premises is 1,26,000 Sq.Ft.,main building 7,173 Sq.Ft., and Scholar's Guest House is 6,315 Sq.Ft. There are 8 well furnished rooms carrying kitchen, dining hall and visiting hall, available in the Scholar's Guest House. This Institute was established by the Government of Rajasthan, which has earned international repute because of its aims, objectives and achievements. An abode of knowledge, the Institute has a collection of 8,658 manuscripts, 197 Xeroxed Manuscripts, 35 Transcribed Manuscripts, 936 Microfilmed Manuscripts, 18 Musawwidat, Mubayyazat, 32,129 reference books, 722 Faramin andAsanid 17,980 Reference Journals (Dar ur Rasail), 786 Calligraphy Panels and Artifacts, 12 Katbat and 65,000 judgement files of the Shariat Records of the erstwhile Tonk State in addition to the historical documents belonging to the old Munshi Khana Huzuri of the said State alongwith Asnad, Tughrajat and the exhibits of decorative calligraphic art.

H.E.M. Hidayatullah-the then Vice President of India being impressed by the manuscripts and artifacts of the Institute.

This literary treasure of Arabic and Persian as well as Urdu belongs to the 5th century of the Hijra and onwards. It consists of the original works including edited and translated manuscripts and publications on more than 50 different subjects specifically

holyQur'an,Hadis, Fiqh,Tasawwuf, Philosophy, Sirat,History,Geography,Medicines, Astrology, Astronomy, Chemistry, Zoology, Botany, Geometry, Arithmetic, Literature andMalfuzat (writings) of the holy Saints etc. Besides these subjects, the Institute owns the Persian & Urdu translations of the works of Hindu Religion from Sanskrit origin as the translation of Ramayana, Mahabharat, Bhagwad Gita, Pothi Rohini, Naldamana, Lilawati etc. but the script of these works is of Persian as Emperor Akbar the great got these Sanskritworks ofHindu religion translated into Persian by his order in his reign.This invaluable literary collection owes its initial establishment to Yamin ud- Daulah Wazir ul Mulk the late Nawwab Muhammad Ali Khan – the third ruler of erstwhile Tonk State in the year 1867. In this way the travel of the Institute's treasure is 143 years till now. In the year 1946, Saeed udDaulah the lateNawwab Saadat AliKhan transferred it to the newly established Saeediyah Library which was known as the District Library,Tonk after the formation ofRajasthan.The manuscripts of the District Library were transferred in 1961 to Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute, Jodhpur by opening its branch at Tonk. Subsequently in 1973 the State Government established a separate Institute in the name of Arabic and Persian Research Centre which was further enriched by a historical decision of the Government through which important Arabic and Persian collections were transferred fromvarious libraries andmuseums to this Institute.

The Director presenting a calligraphic panel to His Excellency the then Vice President of India Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

Ultimately an epoch making decision was taken by the Government of Rajasthan to create an independent Directorate in 1978.The Institute is now situated in its own constructed building well equipped with ultra modern and scientific techniques of preserving the manuscripts and other records. During Maulana Azad Centenary Celebrations in 1989 this Directorate was named as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Arabic and Persian Research Institute Rajasthan, Tonk.In this valuable collection, except of the transferred collections from the Government institutions and libraries there is a sizeable collection also purchased by the Institute. The collection which was donated to the Institute from the private and personal libraries, by the donors is very important.The Institute preserves such collections here in the name of the donor asMaulana Shaghil Collection, Jaipur; Jauhar Collection, Tonk; Pandit RamNiwasNadeemCollection,Tonk;Maulana Ubaid Arab Collection, Bhopal; Hafiz Quamar Asif Collection, Ajmer; Chand Bihari Lal 'Saba' Collection, Jaipur; Maulawi Hakim Muhammad Ahmad Collection, Tonk; Capt. Sahibzadah M. Shamsher Khan 'Shaheen' Collection, Tonk; Mufti Akhtar Husain Collection, Kota; Mr. Manzoor Alam Advocate, Collection, Tonk andMohd. Umar Saifi Collection, Tonk etc.We are grateful to all our donors and assure them that the donated books and manuscripts shall be preserved so that the scholars fromall over theworld are benefitted.We are sure that such donations shall be coming continuously for the sacred cause.Now it is a matter of great pleasure that this institute has completed the period of 35 glorious years. On this august occasion the souvenir of the Institute is being published in order to highlight the sterling achievements of the institute in the aforesaid years.