Why in NEWS?
At the BharatGen Summit 2025, the Union Minister of State for Science & Technology launched “BharatGen LLM”, India’s first government-funded multimodal large language model (LLM) trained in 22 Indian languages.
Key Concepts Simplified
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Large Language Model (LLM) | AI models trained on vast text datasets to understand and generate human-like language |
| Multimodal LLM | LLMs that can process and generate across text, images, audio, and video |
| Unimodal Model | Older AI models limited to one mode of input, e.g., only text or image |
| NM-ICPS | National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems launched in 2018 to support tech R&D |
| TIH Foundation | Technology Innovation Hub at IIT Bombay supporting AI & IoT innovation under NM-ICPS |
News Details in Simple Format
- BharatGen LLM is a multilingual, multimodal AI model developed indigenously with full government support.
- It is part of India’s vision for self-reliant, ethical AI, capable of serving in diverse regional contexts.
- The model will understand and respond in 22 Indian languages, and across text, audio, image, and video formats.
- It was developed under NM-ICPS, with implementation by TIH Foundation for IoT & IoE at IIT Bombay.
- Key applications include healthcare (AI doctors in local languages), agriculture, education, and local governance.
BharatGen vs Other AI Models
| Feature / Aspect | Large Language Models (LLMs) | Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) | Autoregressive Models (ARMs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definition | Trained on large text data to generate natural language | Uses Generator & Discriminator to create realistic media | Predicts next value based on previous sequence |
| Main Use | Chatbots, summaries, translation | Images, deepfakes, media generation | Text, speech, time-series modeling |
| Input/Output Type | Mostly text | Visual/audio data | Sequential data (text/audio/numbers) |
| Relation to Gen AI | Subset for text generation | Used in creating media content | Common across Gen AI models |
| Examples | GPT-4, PaLM2, LLaMA | StyleGAN, CycleGAN | GPT, WaveNet, PixelRNN |
Key Objectives of BharatGen
| Area | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Inclusivity | Enable AI access in regional and rural India through native language support |
| Healthcare | Promote AI-enabled telemedicine with “AI Doctors” speaking local languages |
| Governance | Assist in e-governance and delivery of public services in local languages |
| Education | Multilingual AI assistants to help in regional school and college education |
| Agriculture | Provide AI-guided regional crop solutions and weather advice to farmers |
| Ethical AI | Rooted in Indian cultural values, ensuring privacy, fairness, and inclusivity |
In a Nutshell
Mnemonic: BHARAT-AI
BharatGen Launched → Homegrown Multimodal LLM → Accessible in 22 Languages → Rooted in Indian Values → AI for Healthcare, Agri, Ed-tech → TIH IIT Bombay-backed → Advancing NM-ICPS → Inclusive Governance Tool
BharatGen isn’t just a model—it’s a mission to give every Indian a voice in the AI future.
Prelims Practice Questions
- Which of the following is true about Multimodal LLMs?
a) They are limited to only text-based inputs
b) They cannot support multiple languages
c) They can process data in text, image, audio, and video formats
d) They do not use machine learning - Under which of the following missions was BharatGen LLM developed?
a) National AI Mission
b) Digital India Mission
c) National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS)
d) Make in India - What is the key implementation institution behind BharatGen LLM?
a) IIT Madras
b) TIH Foundation at IIT Bombay
c) DRDO
d) NIC
Prelims Answer Key
| Q No. | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | c | Multimodal LLMs can understand and generate across multiple data types |
| 2 | c | BharatGen was developed under NM-ICPS by the Ministry of Science & Technology |
| 3 | b | Implemented by TIH Foundation for IoT & IoE at IIT Bombay |
