Google and IIT Bombay have partnered to create local AI models for Indian languages. The 'BharatGen' project will develop speech recognition and text-to-speech tools. Students will receive a one-year free Google AI Pro subscription.
BharatGen: India is a country of diverse languages, with more than 22 official languages and hundreds of dialects. However, most tools and AI models in the technological world have been largely English-centric. To address this challenge, Google has taken a significant step. Tech giant Google and the prestigious academic institution IIT Bombay have decided to jointly develop a new AI model for Indian languages. This partnership is being carried out under the 'BharatGen' project, which will develop local tools such as Speech Recognition and Text-to-Speech.
BharatGen Project: Local AI Solution for Indian Languages
BharatGen is a special initiative of IIT Bombay, which aims to make digital access easier in Indian languages. In this project, AI models will be created in collaboration with Google that can work seamlessly in languages such as Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, and Kannada. Through speech recognition tools, users will be able to give commands by speaking, while text-to-speech technology will allow people to listen to text in their preferred language. These tools can bring revolutionary changes in education, government services, agriculture, healthcare, and e-governance.
Big Announcement at Google I/O Connect India 2025
The formal announcement of this partnership was made by Manish Gupta, Senior Director of Google India and Asia-Pacific, at 'Google I/O Connect India 2025' held in Bangalore. He said that this initiative will digitally empower India by freeing it from language barriers. Gupta also stated that this is a major and practical step to apply Google's DeepMind research in the Indian context.
Preparing for Social Change through AI
According to Google, AI in India is not only being seen as a technology but also as a tool for bringing about social change. Using tools like AlphaFold developed by DeepMind, more than 150,000 scientists across the country are researching complex diseases such as cancer and autoimmune diseases. This localization of AI is what can make India a leader on the global stage in the fields of health, energy, and science.
Free AI Tools for Students: Technological Revolution in Education
Google has also taken a big step to connect Indian students with AI technology. Now, students across India will get a one-year free subscription to the Google AI Pro Plan. With the help of this tool, students will not only be able to create AI models but also enhance their skills in various fields such as data analysis, coding, and virtual assistance. This scheme can also prove helpful in taking technical education to rural areas.
Building 'Make in India' AI with Gemma Model
Based on Google's 'Gemma' model, Indian startups such as Sarvam, Soket AI, and Gnani are now creating indigenous AI models. Its main objective is to prepare AI systems that understand India's linguistic needs and are trained in local contexts. 'Sarvam-Translate' is a major step in this direction, which is capable of effectively translating long and complex Indian languages.
New Opportunities for Developers and Innovators
Along with this initiative, Google has also opened up many new opportunities for developers. Google Maps has now been updated with information on more than 250 million new places. Also, in collaboration with Unity, Google has launched a free training course for game developers. In addition, 'Gen AI Exchange Hackathon' will also be organized, where Indian developers will get a chance to showcase their AI capabilities.
