Tribal Affairs Ministry to launch AI-powered translator "Adi Vaani" to preserve tribal languages
The ministry emphasized that this is a "national mission" to protect tribal identity, promote inclusive governance, and position India as a global leader in the AI-driven preservation of endangered languages.
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The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is set to launch "Adi Vaani", India's first AI-powered translator for tribal languages. The initiative aims to preserve the country's rich linguistic diversity and empower tribal communities.
Developed by a collaboration between IIT Delhi, BITS Pilani, IIIT Hyderabad, IIIT Nava Raipur, and various Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs), Adi Vaani will initially support Santali (Odisha), Bhili (Madhya Pradesh), Mundari (Jharkhand), and Gondi (Chhattisgarh), with languages like Kui and Garo to be added in the next phase.
The project is designed to combat the decline of tribal languages, with the 2011 Census reporting that 81 out of 461 tribal languages are vulnerable and 42 are critically endangered. Adi Vaani will use advanced AI models, including No Language Left Behind (NLLB) and IndicTrans2, to provide real-time translation between Hindi/English and tribal languages.
The platform will also include text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and optical character recognition (OCR) features to digitize tribal manuscripts and oral traditions. The ministry emphasized that this is a "national mission" to protect tribal identity, promote inclusive governance, and position India as a global leader in the AI-driven preservation of endangered languages.
Beyond translation, the platform will be used to deliver information on government schemes, health advisories (such as sickle cell disease prevention), and subtitles for the prime minister's speeches. This initiative aims to ensure the last-mile delivery of public services in native languages, support education and healthcare in tribal regions, and preserve cultural heritage. The project aligns with key government programs, including Digital India, Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, and PM JANMAN.
