India Launches Adi Vaani: AI Translator for Tribal Languages

In a groundbreaking initiative to bridge linguistic divides and digitally empower tribal communities, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched the Beta version of Adi Vaani—India’s first AI-powered translator for tribal languages. This tool is a major leap in safeguarding India’s endangered tribal dialects while fostering inclusive access to education, governance, and services.

Preserving India’s Tribal Language Diversity

India is home to 461 tribal languages and 71 distinct mother tongues. However, a significant number—81 vulnerable and 42 critically endangered—are at risk of extinction due to limited usage and lack of preservation. Adi Vaani directly addresses this linguistic erosion by providing a digital platform to document, translate, and teach these native tongues.

Developed under the Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh, the project supports India’s commitment to cultural equity and digital empowerment. It ensures tribal communities are not left behind in the nation’s AI and technology revolution.

How Adi Vaani Works

Technology Backbone

Adi Vaani uses advanced AI language models like IndicTrans2 and No Language Left Behind (NLLB) to translate between tribal languages and Hindi/English. It was developed by a consortium led by IIT Delhi, in collaboration with BITS Pilani, IIIT Hyderabad, and IIIT Nava Raipur, alongside Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) across five states.

Functional Tools

• Text-to-Text and Speech-to-Speech translation
• Text-to-Speech and Speech-to-Text capabilities
• Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for digitizing traditional manuscripts
• Bilingual dictionaries and cultural repositories
• Subtitled content for speeches and public service announcements
• This toolkit allows for interactive learning, digital preservation of folklore, and real-time translation across languages.

Languages Covered in Beta Phase

Adi Vaani currently supports four major tribal languages,

• Santali (Odisha)
• Bhili (Madhya Pradesh)
• Mundari (Jharkhand)
• Gondi (Chhattisgarh)

Languages like Kui and Garo are under development for future updates. This phased rollout ensures scalable, high-quality language support based on regional demand and linguistic richness.

Empowerment Through Inclusion

Community Involvement

The platform was built with active input from tribal communities, who contributed to data collection, language validation, and testing. This participatory approach ensures the tool reflects cultural accuracy and respects linguistic nuances.

Impact Areas

Adi Vaani is designed to support,

• Education and digital literacy
• Healthcare communication
• Awareness of government schemes
• Civic inclusion and public service delivery

It also includes translations of key government messages, such as health advisories on diseases like sickle cell anemia, directly in tribal languages.

Moving Towards a Digitally Inclusive India

Adi Vaani aligns with flagship national missions like Digital India, Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, and PM JANMAN. It not only safeguards India’s linguistic heritage but also positions the country as a global leader in AI for social impact.

The initiative contributes to inclusive development, bringing marginalized voices into the mainstream through the power of language and technology. It reflects India’s constitutional values of diversity, equity, and participatory governance.