Dehradun: In a landmark move to protect Uttarakhand’s linguistic heritage and bring it onto digital platforms, 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 portal, built by the AI Strategic Engineering (AiSE) Foundation under its ‘Bhasha AI’ programme, opened with a Kumaoni‑language audio clip recorded by the chief minister himself.
Preserving Identity Through Technology
Speaking about the project, CM Dhami highlighted that regional dialects form the backbone of the state’s cultural identity. He urged the integration of cutting‑edge technology to ensure these languages thrive in the age of artificial intelligence, allowing Uttarakhand’s rich oral traditions to reach a wider audience.
Bridging Remote Communities
The government’s vision is to enable villagers in far‑flung hills to receive information about schemes and services in their mother tongue, and to let them voice concerns directly to officials. Achieving this, Dhami noted, requires AI models that can accurately recognise and process local speech patterns.
Capturing Pronunciation Diversity
Beyond merely compiling vocabularies, the portal seeks recordings that reflect the varied pronunciations and speaking styles found across the state. “A single word may sound different in Almora, Pithoragarh or Chamoli,” the chief minister explained, adding that a robust dataset will help AI distinguish these nuances.
Future‑Ready Cultural Continuity
Dhami expressed confidence that the initiative will not only safeguard endangered dialects but also link younger generations with Uttarakhand’s folk arts, songs, and rituals. He extended heartfelt thanks to all participants and supporters of the project.
Padma Shri folk singer Pritam Bhartwan, present at the ceremony, emphasized that Garhwali, Kumaoni and Jaunsari carry centuries‑old folk narratives, Jagar chants and cultural practices. He pledged the Jagar Academy’s assistance in maintaining linguistic authenticity and correct articulation.
Sachidanand Semwal, founder of the AiSE Foundation, reiterated that ‘Bhasha AI’ is actively gathering words and voice samples to empower future AI applications to converse fluently in these regional tongues.
Other dignitaries attending the launch included Shakti Prasad Bhatt, Gajendra Nautiyal, Anirudh Raithwan, Nidhi Semwal, Anil Godiyal, Dr. J.K. Pandey and Dev Raturi.
