Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh officially launched ‘Bharat Gen’—India’s first government-funded, indigenously developed AI-based Multimodal Large Language Model (LLM) for Indian languages—at the BharatGen Summit 2025. The launch took place under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), implemented through the TIH Foundation for IoT and IoE at IIT Bombay and backed by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
BharatGen integrates text, speech, and image capabilities across 22 Indian languages and is designed to power inclusive AI development in critical sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance. The initiative is supported by a consortium of academic institutions, government bodies, and industry experts.
AI doctors and digital governance among key use cases
One notable application of BharatGen has been in telemedicine, where AI-powered systems are being deployed to offer care in regional languages. This localized communication has improved trust and healthcare delivery, especially in remote areas.
BharatGen is also being used to enhance multilingual feedback systems on platforms like CPGRAMS, strengthening citizen engagement and grievance redressal. The model supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “India’s Techade,” aiming to democratize access to AI and ensure technological growth reaches all corners of the country.
Also read: BharatGen Launches India’s First Full Indic LLM
Hackathon and educational push to boost AI talent pipeline
The BharatGen Summit also saw the launch of the Generative AI Hackathon 2025, focused on student-driven innovation. The hackathon encourages young technologists to develop AI solutions addressing real-world challenges.
Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, BharatGen promotes interdisciplinary learning by blending technical education with humanities and social sciences. With a growing network of 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs)—four of which are now Technology Translational Research Parks (TTRPs)—the initiative also aims to advance entrepreneurship and international AI collaboration.
BharatGen Summit gathers leaders across academia and industry
The summit was attended by senior officials including Prof. Abhay Karandikar (DST), V. Srinivas (DARPG), Rajit Punhani (Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship), and Abhishek Singh (MEITY). Industry leaders like Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan and key academic contributors also participated.
The event underscored India’s commitment to building a sovereign AI ecosystem grounded in ethical practices, multilingual accessibility, and grassroots innovation.
