Why in the news?

  • Ministry of Tribal Affairs Launches Beta Version of Adi Vaani.

Adi Vani

  • What is it?
    • Adi Vaani is India’s first AI-powered translator tailored for tribal languages, designed as a foundational tool for a future large language model dedicated to preserving these languages.
    • Launched under the Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh initiative, it aims to bridge communication gaps between tribal and non-tribal individuals while helping safeguard endangered languages using advanced AI.
  • Access and Availability:
    • Currently available on the Play Store, with an iOS version to follow soon.
    • Also accessible via a dedicated web platform.
  • Purpose & Development:
    • Developed by a consortium led by IIT Delhi, in collaboration with BITS Pilani, IIIT Hyderabad, IIIT Nava Raipur, and Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) from Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Meghalaya, the tool integrates advanced AI with community inputs.
  • Goals
    • Enabling real-time text and speech translation between Hindi/English and tribal languages.
    • Providing interactive language-learning modules for learners.
    • Digitizing and preserving tribal folklore, oral traditions, and heritage.
    • Supporting digital literacy, better healthcare communication, and civic inclusion.
    • Sharing information about government schemes and important speeches in tribal languages.
  • Beta Supported Languages:
    • Santali (Odisha), Bhili (Madhya Pradesh), Mundari (Jharkhand) and Gondi (Chhattisgarh)
    • Future phases aim to include additional languages such as Kui and Garo.
  • Key Features:
    • AI Models: Uses No Language Left Behind (NLLB) and IndicTrans2 – optimized for low-resource tribal languages.
    • Community Engagement: STRs, local experts, and communities contribute to data collection and iterative refinement.
    • Text‑to‑Text, Text‑to‑Speech, Speech‑to‑Text, Speech‑to‑Speech translations.
    • Bilingual dictionaries and curated language repositories.
    • Subtitles for government communications (e.g., speeches, health advisories such as on sickle cell awareness), and information on government schemes, all rendered in tribal languages.
  • Significance
    • First of its kind tool in India using AI to serve tribal languages.
    • Wide-ranging features: Translation, learning, preservation, civic and healthcare communication.
    • Strong institutional backing and a clear future roadmap for language expansion.
    • Cultural significance: Emphasizes inclusion, empowerment, and national diversity. Digital preservation of tribal knowledge and cultural expressions.

 

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