Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated a dedicated voice‑collection portal for Garhwali, Kumaoni and Jaunsari on Thursday at the CM’s Camp Office. The platform, built by the AI Strategic Engineering (AiSE) Foundation under its ‘Bhasha AI’ programme, debuted with a Kumaoni‑language clip recorded by the chief minister himself.
Welcoming the effort, Dhami stressed that regional languages form the backbone of Uttarakhand’s cultural identity. He highlighted the need to harness modern technology—especially artificial intelligence—to preserve these languages and make them accessible on digital platforms. As AI becomes ubiquitous, integrating local tongues is essential for the state’s linguistic heritage to gain broader visibility.
The chief minister explained that the portal will empower residents of remote villages to receive information about government schemes in their mother tongue and to voice concerns directly to authorities. For this to happen, AI systems must be trained to comprehend the nuances of Uttarakhand’s languages with precision.
Dhami emphasized that beyond amassing a lexical database, the project must capture authentic pronunciations and diverse speaking styles. Such richness will enable AI tools to recognise regional vocabulary, dialectal variations and subtle phonetic differences, delivering accurate responses in the user’s preferred language.
He noted that a single word may sound different across the hills, and that the portal’s crowd‑sourced voice samples will help AI models distinguish these regional inflections. This, he believes, will bridge the gap between technology and the everyday linguistic reality of Uttarakhand’s people.
Expressing optimism, Dhami said the initiative will not only safeguard the three languages but also connect future generations with the state’s folk art, music and traditions. He extended gratitude to everyone involved in the venture.
Padma Shri folk singer Pritam Bhartwan, present at the event, highlighted the deep cultural reservoir embedded in Garhwali, Kumaoni and Jaunsari—spanning folk songs, Jagar chants and community rituals. He affirmed that the Jagar Academy will assist in maintaining linguistic authenticity and correct pronunciation.
AiSE Foundation founder Sachidanand Semwal clarified that ‘Bhasha AI’ is actively gathering words and voice recordings from the three languages, with the ultimate goal of enabling AI‑driven communication in Uttarakhand’s native tongues.
Among the dignitaries attending were Shakti Prasad Bhatt, Gajendra Nautiyal, Anirudh Raithwan, Nidhi Semwal, Anil Godiyal, Dr J.K. Pandey and Dev Raturi.
