Dehradun: In a landmark move to protect Uttarakhand’s indigenous languages and bring them onto modern digital platforms, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated a voice‑collection portal for Garhwali, Kumaoni and Jaunsari on Thursday at the Chief Minister’s Camp Office. The portal, created under the AI Strategic Engineering (AiSE) Foundation’s ‘Bhasha AI’ programme, kicked off with a Kumaoni‑language voice clip recorded by the CM himself.
Welcoming the effort, CM Dhami emphasized that regional languages are the heartbeat of the state’s identity and cultural fabric. He highlighted the necessity of leveraging contemporary technology to keep these languages alive, noting that as artificial intelligence becomes ubiquitous, it must be trained to understand and generate Uttarakhand’s linguistic diversity.
The chief minister explained that the government’s long‑term goal is to enable residents of remote villages to receive information about schemes and services in their mother tongue, and to allow them to voice concerns directly to officials in a language they feel comfortable with. Achieving this, he said, requires AI systems that can accurately interpret local speech.
He added that the portal will not only amass an extensive lexicon of regional words but will also capture correct pronunciations and varied speaking styles. Such granular data will empower AI to recognise subtle differences in dialects and deliver precise, culturally resonant responses.
According to Dhami, even a single word can sound distinct across Uttarakhand’s valleys and hills. By encouraging citizens to upload voice samples through the portal, the initiative will help AI differentiate regional vocabularies, accents, and intonations.
The chief minister expressed confidence that the project will do more than preserve languages—it will link future generations with Uttarakhand’s folk arts, traditions, and cultural narratives. He extended heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in the venture.
Padma Shri award‑winning folk singer Pritam Bhartwan, present at the ceremony, remarked that Uttarakhand’s regional languages embody a rich legacy of folk life, songs, Jagar rituals and cultural practices. He affirmed that the Jagar Academy will lend its expertise to ensure authenticity and proper pronunciation throughout the initiative.
Sachidanand Semwal, founder of the AiSE Foundation, explained that ‘Bhasha AI’ is systematically gathering vocabulary and voice recordings from Garhwali, Kumaoni and Jaunsari speakers, with the ultimate aim of enabling AI‑driven communication in these languages.
Other dignitaries attending the event included Shakti Prasad Bhatt, Gajendra Nautiyal, Anirudh Raithwan, Nidhi Semwal, Anil Godiyal, Dr. J.K. Pandey and Dev Raturi.
