Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh has officially launched ‘BharatGen’, the country’s first homegrown, government-supported multimodal Large Language Model (LLM) focused on Indian languages.
The announcement was made during the BharatGen Summit, India's largest gathering on Generative AI and LLM innovation, including a nationwide hackathon.
The BharatGen initiative is being executed under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) and spearheaded by the TIH Foundation for IoT and IoE at IIT Bombay.
This powerful AI model integrates text, speech, and image modalities to offer AI solutions in 22 Indian languages. Funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the project aims to promote AI that is “ethical, inclusive, multilingual, and deeply rooted in Indian values and ethos,” said Dr. Singh.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh underlined BharatGen's potential to reshape sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance through contextually aware AI tools. Citing an example from his own constituency, he highlighted how AI-powered telemedicine has transformed rural healthcare. He said, “This builds trust and has a placebo-like psychological effect, connecting remote regions with superspeciality hospitals.”
According to Dr. Singh, BharatGen reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'India’s Techade’, where innovation serves the goal of inclusion and accessibility. He cited the AI-based grievance redressal platform CPGRAMS as a global example that is being analyzed by several countries.
He also referenced support schemes like the PM MUDRA Yojana, PM SVANidhi, and PM Vishwakarma Yojana as instruments that enable small-scale entrepreneurs, artisans, and street vendors to benefit from technological transformation.
Dr. Singh praised the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, calling it a catalyst for interdisciplinary learning, helping students combine technology with the humanities. He pointed to the emergence of over 3,000 Agri-tech startups, including lavender cultivation in Jammu & Kashmir, as a sign that innovation is no longer confined to metropolitan IT hubs.
The summit also introduced the Generative AI Hackathon 2025, encouraging student innovators to develop AI solutions to real-world problems. BharatGen's implementation is being carried out through 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs), four of which have been elevated to Technology Translational Research Parks (TTRPs) to support:
Technology development
Entrepreneurship
Human capital enhancement
International collaboration
A high-profile MoU exchange ceremony further reinforced cooperation between government departments and R&D institutions, setting the stage for sustained AI-led innovation in India.
The launch of BharatGen represents a pivotal moment in India’s AI evolution. By focusing on multilingual capabilities and regional inclusivity, this indigenous LLM model aims to democratize access to AI tools across diverse sectors—from healthcare to governance.
Backed by top academic institutions, robust government funding, and alignment with national missions like NM-ICPS and NEP 2020, BharatGen is a bold step toward realizing Prime Minister Modi’s vision of “India’s Techade.” Its seamless integration of speech, text, and image recognition ensures adaptability across India’s 22 languages, helping bridge the digital divide between urban and rural populations.
Additionally, initiatives such as the Generative AI Hackathon 2025 and the establishment of TTRPs signal a forward-thinking approach to nurturing innovation and talent.
As India positions itself as a global AI leader, BharatGen stands as a cornerstone in building ethical, scalable, and locally-relevant AI that mirrors the country's diverse linguistic and cultural fabric.