• India launched the ‘BharatGen’ initiative, India’s first indigenous multimodal AI-powered Large Language Model for Indian languages.
• Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated BharatGen at the BharatGen Summit, highlighting its mission to develop ethical, inclusive, and region-specific AI.
• The platform will unify text, speech, and image data across 22 languages, benefitting sectors like healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance.

Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, launched today 'Bharat Gen', India's first-of-its-kind, indigenously created, Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered, government-funded Multimodal 'Large Language Model' (LLM) for Indian languages, at the high-profile 'BharatGen Summit' India's biggest Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and LLM summit and hackathon.

Developed under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) and implemented through TIH Foundation for IoT and IoE at IIT Bombay, BharatGen aims to revolutionize AI development across India’s linguistic and cultural spectrum. The initiative is supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and brings together a robust consortium of leading academic institutions, experts, and innovators.

Addressing the Summit, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Minister of State for Prime Minister's Office, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, called BharatGen a "national mission to develop AI that is ethical, inclusive, multilingual, and deeply rooted in Indian values and eothos". The platform unifies text, speech, and image modalities, providing unified AI solutions across 22 Indian languages.

The initiative will enable key industries like healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance, with region-specific AI solutions that know and can serve each and every Indian", stated Dr. Singh.

Reminding one of a success story from within his own constituency, Dr. Jitendra Singh described AI-driven telemedicine services in which an AI doctor speaks naturally in the patient's own language. "It not only generates trust but has a placebo-like psychological impact, making possible improved care in the remote areas linked with superspeciality hospitals in India", he pointed out.

Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized that BharatGen aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of 'India’s Techade' not just for innovation but for inclusion. He hailed India’s AI progress as a global benchmark, including CPGRAMS, now studied by several countries as a model grievance redressal system.

The Minister again emphasized that Anusandhan NRF will further enhance India's R&D and innovation landscape, and pointed towards the transformation presently taking place through icons of transformation such as PM MUDRA Yojana, PM SVANidhi, and PM Vishwakarma Yojana to uplift street vendors, artisans, and micro-entrepreneurs.

Dr. Jitendra Singh pointed to the revolutionary role of Generative AI in ground-level governance, with the example of adopting multilingual grievance redressal systems in portals like CPGRAMS for greater citizen participation and grievance redressal. He emphasized the vision of inclusivity of NEP 2020, with interdisciplinary learning enabled by allowing students to blend technical and humanities streams, thereby making them more employable and innovative.

Dr. Jitendra Singh hailed the success of more than 3,000 Agri-tech StartUps, especially those trailblazing initiatives such as the production of lavender in Jammu & Kashmir, as proof that innovation happens beyond the metros and the IT hubs. The summit also saw a major MoU exchange ceremony to further the spirit of cooperation among the government departments and research institutions.

The inauguration of the Generative AI Hackathon 2025 was a significant milestone towards mobilizing student innovators to address real-life issues with the use of AI. BharatGen is being implemented through a cluster of 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs), out of which four are being scaled up to Technology Translational Research Parks (TTRPs). The four pillars of the Mission are technology development, entrepreneurship, human resource building, and global partnership.

The BharatGen Summit saw the gracious presence of the important dignitaries such as Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), V. Srinivas, Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Rajit Punhani, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, and Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT (MEITY). Industry veteran Kris Gopalakrishnan, Infosys Co-founder, and Prof. Ganesh Ramakrishnan, BharatGen Principal Investigator, were also a part of the event.

Their presence, along with that of senior government ministers, top academics, and young student entrepreneurs, provided richness and foresight to the emphasis of the summit on developing India's AI ecosystem.

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