The Maha Kumbh, a globally renowned spiritual gathering held every 12 years, is set to transform in 2025 with the integration of BHASHINI—a groundbreaking initiative under the Digital India program. This year’s event, hosted in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, welcomes millions of pilgrims from diverse linguistic backgrounds, showcasing India’s rich cultural and linguistic heritage. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is leveraging BHASHINI to ensure seamless communication and accessibility across 11 Indian languages, making this iconic event more inclusive than ever before.
How BHASHINI is Transforming Maha Kumbh 2025
BHASHINI addresses the linguistic and logistical challenges of the massive congregation through advanced multilingual technologies:
Real-Time Information Sharing: Critical updates, event schedules, and safety guidelines are translated into 11 Indian languages, ensuring accessibility for all.
Simplified Navigation: With speech-to-text, text-to-speech tools, and multilingual chatbots, pilgrims receive guidance in their preferred languages via mobile apps and kiosks.
Emergency Services Access: BHASHINI integrates with helplines, including UP Police’s 112-emergency service, enabling pilgrims to seek assistance in their native tongues.
E-Governance: Authorities communicate effectively with diverse attendees through multilingual regulations, guidelines, and public announcements.
Lost and Found Services: BHASHINI’s digital solution allows visitors to report or locate lost items using voice inputs, supported by real-time translation.
Kumbh Sah’AI’yak Chatbot
Powered by advanced AI technologies, the Kumbh Sah’AI’yak chatbot offers multilingual, voice-enabled assistance. Supporting 11 languages, it provides real-time information, navigation, and guidance, ensuring a memorable experience for pilgrims.
What is BHASHINI?
BHASHINI (BHASHa INterface for India) is an initiative under the National Language Translation Mission (NLTM) designed to democratize access to digital services across India’s linguistic spectrum. Using cutting-edge AI and natural language processing (NLP), BHASHINI bridges the language divide, promoting inclusivity and accessibility.
Objectives of BHASHINI
Develop sustainable Indian language technologies and solutions.
Foster easier internet access in Indian languages.
Drive growth in Indian language content and technology.
Promote research, collaboration, and commercialization in language technologies.
Enable indigenous intellectual property (IP) generation and technology transfers.
Applications of BHASHINI
BHASHINI supports a variety of tools:
Anuvaad: Text-to-text translation.
Chitraanuvaad: Video translation in Indian languages.
Lekhaanuvaad: Document translation and digitization.
Bhashini Plugin: Webpage translation.
Vaanianuvaad: Real-time speech-to-speech translation.
Recent Developments
Integration with the e-Shram Portal in 22 languages.
Launch of a multilingual e-Gram Swaraj Platform for accessible digital governance.
Translation of educational materials via the Anuvaadini App for the e-KUMBH portal.
Use of BHASHINI for translating reports and documents on government portals like CPGRAMS.
Achievements and Awards
Over 100 million monthly inferences and 700,000 mobile app downloads.
Supports 22+ languages and boasts 300+ AI-based models.
Recognized with awards like the Digital Trailblazer Award and ELETS Atma Nirbhar Award for digital innovation.
BHASHINI’s deployment at Maha Kumbh 2025 highlights its transformative potential in bridging linguistic barriers and enhancing inclusivity. By fostering seamless communication across languages, BHASHINI exemplifies the vision of Digital India—a connected, empowered, and inclusive society. As India moves toward becoming a global leader in digital innovation, BHASHINI stands as a beacon of progress, uniting people through the power of language and technology.
