New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey on Monday launched the beta version of ‘Adi Vani’ in New Delhi. It is India’s first artificial intelligence (AI) based translator, designed to preserve and promote tribal languages. This initiative will not only empower tribal communities but will also help in saving their languages and culture from extinction, thereby promoting the linguistic diversity of the country.
Let us tell you that 461 tribal languages are spoken in India, out of which 81 are endangered and 42 are critically endangered. Many of these languages are on the verge of extinction due to lack of documentation and lack of transfer between generations.
What is ‘Adi Vani’:
‘Adi Vani’ promotes systematic digitization, preservation and regeneration of tribal languages using AI technology to meet this challenge. This translation tool will lay the foundation for a larger language model for tribal languages in the future. The project aims to preserve, promote and regenerate tribal languages and cultures across India by combining advanced AI techniques with a community-based approach.
What the minister said:
The Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs said, “Today we are launching Aadi Vani. This is India’s first AI-powered translation platform, which will preserve the identity of tribal languages.” He further informed that in the beta launch, Aadi Vani supports Santali (Odisha), Bhili (Madhya Pradesh), Mundari (Jharkhand) and Gondi (Chhattisgarh) languages. The process is underway to include additional languages like Kui and Garo in the next phase.
Will be available on Google Play Store:
Director of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs Deepali Masirkar said, “This initiative will go a long way in preserving endangered languages. We are securing the identity of tribal languages.” At the same time, the secretary of the ministry, Vibhu Nair, said, “Adi Vani will help preserve endangered tribal languages. It will be available on Google Play Store by Friday.”
Objectives of ‘Adi Vani’:
Real-time translation (both written and spoken) between Hindi / English and tribal languages
Interactive language learning facility for students and early learners
Digital preservation of folklore, knowledge and cultural heritage
Support to government initiatives in digital literacy, healthcare and inclusion for tribal communities
Appreciation of the initiative:
Sugdu Potai of Chhattisgarh, while talking to ETV Bharat, praised this initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and called it a big step towards protecting tribal languages. Gopesh Kumar Bharti, who is involved in the development of Adi Vani, told ETV Bharat, “This is a necessary step towards preserving the cultural heritage and identity of tribal communities. We should protect endangered languages.”
Benefits of ‘Adi Vaani’:
It will systematically document and digitize tribal languages, their knowledge, oral traditions and cultural expressions
It will make invaluable resources accessible to current and future generations as well as researchers and educators from across the world
The initiative will empower educational, cultural and civic participation for tribal communities, ensuring public service delivery and government schemes reach the targeted beneficiaries in their native languages
It will strengthen socio-economic inclusion, ensure last-mile connectivity and uphold the constitutional vision of equitable access to opportunities and resources
Bridge the linguistic gap:
‘Adi Vaani’ will not only bridge the linguistic gap within India but also establish India as an AI-based global leader in the preservation of endangered languages. The initiative will connect every section of society by empowering tribal communities through their language and culture, leading to an inclusive and prosperous India.
