Bharat Genome Database: A Comprehensive Resource for Genomic Research and Education on Indian Native Species

The rich biodiversity of India is home to an extensive range of indigenous plant and animal species, manyof which possess unique attributes with significant ecological, medicinal, and economic importance.Understanding the genetic makeup of these species is vital for their conservation and sustainableutilization. The focus of this paper is to present the Bharat Genome Database, a novel and comprehensivegenome database dedicated to the indigenous species of India. Our database provides a valuable resourcefor researchers, conservationists, and policymakers to study and preserve the genetic diversity of nativespecies.The Bharat Genome Database (BGD, bgdb.org) is a pioneering comparative genomics platform dedicatedto enhancing genomic research, training, and education related to species native to India. Featuring toolssuch as BLAST for sequence alignment and JBrowse and JBrowse2 for visualization of genomic data,BGD serves as a critical resource for scientists and educators alike. This paper introduces the database'sinfrastructure, bioinformatics tools, and potential to facilitate groundbreaking genomics and biodiversityconservation research.