South Asian Core Collections

The South Asia collection at EFEO Central Library in Paris includes: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan.
This collection mainly focuses on classical research in religion, philosophy, religious history, art and religious iconography, archaeology, epigraphy, studies of source material, ancient history, and to a lesser extent, social sciences.

The collection expanded according to fields of research of EFEO researchers, such as Jean Filliozat, Suzanne Karpelès, François Gros, N.R. Bhatt, Françoise l'Hernault, etc.
Nowadays, it consists of approximately 21,000 documents in Western and Eastern languages (mainly in Sanskrit and Tamil), 133 titles of periodicals mainly in English language (including 22 current titles), more than one hundred manuscripts, a hundred maps, some rubbings and works of art (Tibetan figurines), and approximately 19,000 photographs (available for consultation at EFEO Paris photo library).

Since 2011, approximately 5,000 monographs and 50 titles of periodicals were deposited at BULAC (the following fields are in deposit according to documentary policy: literature and linguistics, Tamil studies, law, economics, sciences).
Collections of the Library of Pondicherry EFEO Center, which focus on Tamil and Sanskrit philology, archaeology, art history and epigraphy of South India, are also available in our online catalogs.

Contact: Maïté Hurel, head of the South Asian collection

EFEO News
The EFEO leaves X
Paris, France, 20 January 2025

The École française d'Extrême-Orient (EFEO) is ceasing its activity on X (formerly Twitter). This decision is due to the editorial evolution of the platform which, by breaking with the European code of good practice against online disinformation, has become incompatible with the values of a French public institution of higher education and research. The EFEO, like a number of universities and higher education establishments, has therefore decided to no longer have an active account on the X network, a decision put into practice on 20 January 2025.
In Memoriam
Paris, France, 06 January 2025
Pierre-Sylvain Filliozat (1936-2024)

It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Pierre-Sylvain Filliozat, which occurred in Paris on 28 December 2024.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends in Europe and India.

Read the In Memoriam (In French)
Winter School in Buddhist Textual Scholarship
Chiang Mai,Thailand, 25 November 2024
The call for applications for the Winter School in Buddhist Textual Scholarship to be held in Chiang Mai from February 24 to March 1st, 2025 is open until 25 November 2024.

Poster
Details of the program

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New publication
Kyoto,

Cahiers d'Extrême-Asie, vol. 33 (2024)
Approching the High Plateau from the Archipelago
Tibetan Studies in Japan  
Approcher le Haut plateau depuis l'Archipel
Les études tibétaines au Japon

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Workshop
Pondicherry, India, 28 October 2024

The workshop "Alternative life projects in rural Southeast Asia: Reflecting on post-development through a study of diverse emplaced collectives" will be held from 28 to 30 October at the EFEO Centre in Pondicherry.