JUNE 02: In a groundbreaking step for India’s AI ecosystem, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launched BharatGen, the country’s first indigenously developed, government-funded multimodal Large Language Model (LLM), at the BharatGen Summit 2025 in New Delhi. Developed under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) and implemented through the TIH Foundation at IIT Bombay, BharatGen integrates text, speech, and image capabilities to provide AI solutions in 22 Indian languages.
Dr. Singh hailed BharatGen as a “national mission to build AI that is ethical, inclusive, multilingual, and deeply rooted in Indian values.” He emphasized that this initiative will benefit key sectors like healthcare, education, agriculture, and public services, bringing region-specific solutions to citizens in their native languages.
Sharing an example from his constituency, Dr. Singh highlighted the impact of AI-based telemedicine services where virtual doctors communicate in local dialects. He said this approach increases trust and accessibility, especially in rural areas, thereby enhancing healthcare outcomes.
The Minister also noted that BharatGen aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “India’s Techade”, ensuring that technological advancement drives inclusion and innovation. He celebrated India’s AI successes, including CPGRAMS, now studied internationally as a model for grievance redressal.
A key highlight of the event was the launch of the Generative AI Hackathon 2025, which invites student innovators to develop real-world AI solutions. The BharatGen project is supported by a network of 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs), with four hubs upgraded to Technology Translational Research Parks (TTRPs). These hubs focus on four pillars: tech development, entrepreneurship, human capital, and global collaboration.
Dr. Singh also lauded over 3,000 Agri-tech startups, particularly those transforming rural economies like lavender cultivation in Jammu & Kashmir, showing that innovation is thriving beyond urban tech hubs.
The Summit featured dignitaries including Prof. Abhay Karandikar (DST), V. Srinivas (DARPG), Rajit Punhani (Skill Development), and Abhishek Singh (MEITY), as well as Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan and Prof. Ganesh Ramakrishnan, BharatGen’s Principal Investigator. Their presence marked India’s commitment to shaping an AI future grounded in its culture, language, and inclusive growth.