Ministry of Tribal Affairs Launches Beta Version of “Adi Sanskriti” – A Digital Learning Platform for Tribal Artforms

• September 10, 2025

Source: Press Information Bureau

Bridging tradition with technology, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs unveiled the Beta Version of Adi Sanskriti a pioneering digital learning platform for tribal artforms, preserving heritage, enabling livelihoods, and connecting India’s tribal communities with the world, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, during the National Conference on Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan. The platform was formally launched by the Hon’ble Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Shri Durgadas Uikey, unveiling a new digital era for the preservation and promotion of tribal culture and heritage.

Adi Sanskriti is envisioned as the world’s first Digital University to preserve and promote the culture and traditional knowledge of tribal communities, and an online marketplace for the world to access products made by tribal artisans. The platform integrates three major components:

Adi Vishwavidyalaya (Digital Tribal Art Academy): Currently offering 45 immersive courses on tribal dance, painting, crafts, music, and folklore.
 
Adi Sampada (Socio-Cultural Repository): A collection of over 5,000 curated documents across five themes, covering paintings, dance, clothing & textiles, artefacts and livelihood.
Adi Haat (Online marketplace): Currently linked with TRIFED, this will evolve into a dedicated online marketplace for tribal artisans, enabling sustainable livelihoods and direct consumer access.

MoU signed between NSTFDC & Coal India to Empower 30,000 Tribal Students with Digital Learning, Mentorship & Better Infrastructure in EMRS

• September 09, 2025

Source: Press Information Bureau

In a landmark initiative, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Coal India Limited (CIL) have joined hands for the upgradation of infrastructure and capacity building in 76 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha.

A MoU was signed on 09 September 2025 in New Delhi between CIL and the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC), a Section 8 company under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The objectives of the project are:

Bridging the digital divide: Establishment of computer labs to strengthen digital learning and open new opportunities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

Promoting menstrual health & hygiene: Enhanced retention and performance of girl students.

Career counselling & mentorship: Providing tribal students with access to guidance and opportunities at par with their urban counterparts.

Overall, more than 30,000 tribal students are expected to benefit from this initiative, marking a significant step towards inclusive, technology-driven, and holistic education for tribal youth.
 

National Conference on Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan with Project Officers of Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) to Chart Future of Tribal Development

• September 08, 2025

Source: Press Information Bureau

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is organizing the National Conference on Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan with Project Officers of Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) on 9–10 September 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Over two days, participants will deliberate on key flagship initiatives, including:

Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan: The world’s largest grassroots tribal leadership programme, mobilizing 20 lakh change leaders across 1 lakh villages to act as catalysts of social transformation.

Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan: A convergence mission designed to saturate essential services, schemes, and infrastructure in tribal villages through coordinated planning.

Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN): A focused initiative to ensure housing, health, education, water, electrification, and livelihoods for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

Key Sessions and Knowledge Exchange

The conference agenda includes:

Discussions on the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and strengthening community forest governance.
State-level presentations on progress and innovations under PM-JANMAN.
Peer-to-peer learning sessions on Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan, highlighting grassroots leadership and community mobilization models.
Showcasing best practices in participatory village planning, digital inclusion, women’s leadership, and convergence-driven development.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs launches Beta Version of Adi Vaani – India’s 1st AI-Powered Translator for Tribal Languages Leading to Large Language Model

• September 01, 2025

Source: Press Information Bureau

In a landmark initiative towards inclusive tribal empowerment and linguistic preservation, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched the Beta Version of Adi Vaani, India’s first AI-powered translation platform for tribal languages. The launch event was organized at Samrasta Hall, Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, as part of the celebrations of Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh (JJGV).

Adi Vaani https://adivaani.tribal.gov.in has been developed by a national consortium led by IIT Delhi. 

Key features include:

Real-time text and speech translation between Hindi, English and tribal languages
Interactive language learning modules for students and early learners
Digitization of folklore, oral traditions, and cultural heritage
Subtitled advisories and government messages, including health information and Prime Minister’s speeches, in tribal languages
Inclusive access to education, healthcare and governance in native languages

Cultural Mapping and Rural Heritage

• August 21, 2025

Source: Press Information Bureau

Till date, details of 4.84 lakh villages out of 6.5 lakh villages across India have been identified and uploaded on the MGMD portal. The State/UT-wise details are placed at Annexure-I.

The MGMD programme, through its comprehensive portal documents intangible cultural heritage components include:

• Linguistic diversity – local dialects, scripts, and language usage patterns.
• Oral traditions – folk tales, epics, proverbs, and community knowledge systems.
• Folklore and performing arts – music, dance, theatre forms, and ritual practices.
• Local festivals and fairs – religious, seasonal, and community-specific celebrations.

Preservation and Documentation of Endangered Folk Languages and Oral Traditions

• August 21, 2025

Source: Press Information Bureau

To protect, promote and preserve various forms of folk art & culture throughout the country, the Government of India has set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with headquarters at Patiala, Nagpur, Udaipur, Prayagraj, Kolkata, Dimapur and Thanjavur. These ZCCs organize various cultural activities and programmes on regular basis in their member States.

These ZCCs also undertake documentation of vanishing art forms, folklores, oral traditions and practices in the form of audio, video and written materials. Documentation and digitization are ongoing processes.

Guru Shishya Parampara Scheme run by ZCCs is one such initiative where traditional masters train young disciples to ensure continuity of cultural knowledge which helps artistes, researchers and community bearers of traditions.

42 oral traditions have been documented viz. Rajasthan (17), West Bengal (9), Odisha (3), Punjab (2), Maharashtra (2), Gujarat (2), Bihar (1), Jharkhand (1), Manipur (1), Uttar Pradesh (1), Haryana (1), Goa (1) and UT of Jammu & Kashmir (1).

Development of Cultural Industries

• August 18, 2025

Source: Press Information Bureau

The Government has taken various initiatives to develop cultural institutions and industries, provide technical and vocational training for cultural professionals, and create employment opportunities in the cultural and creative sector for sustained, inclusive, and equitable economic growth. They are Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture; The Institute of Archaeology under the Archaeological Survey of India; The National School of Drama, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture; The National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property (NRLC); The School of Archival Studies (SAS) and The Indian Heritage Institute. Read the press release for the complete overview of these institutions.

Digital Preservation and Promotion of Indian Art, Culture and Heritage

• August 18, 2025

Source: Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Culture and various organizations under it has taken following steps to leverage technology for the digital preservation of ancient Indian manuscript, artifacts, monuments and cultural performances including audio-visual documentation and digitization of archival material:

Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) has digitally documented 1,18,359 antiquities and artefacts under National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA).
Under 'Gyan Bharatam Mission' with the core objective of digitization and preservation of Indian manuscripts, 3.50 lakh Manuscripts has been digitized in collaboration with the 37 public or private institutions.
Ministry of Culture in technical collaboration with C-DAC, Pune has been using software named “JATAN” for digitization of museum collections.
The Abhilekh Patal is a digital repository curated by the National Archives of India (NAI) which serves as a gateway to India's historical legacy, offering a treasure trove of meticulously preserved documents and records.
The National Cultural Audio-Visual Archives (NCAA) is a trusted digital repository for rare and endangered cultural audio-visual recordings to promote and preserve the Cultural heritage of India.
Seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) across India with headquarters in Patiala, Prayagraj, Kolkata, Dimapur, Thanjavur, Nagpur, and Udaipur, conduct research & audio-visual documentation for the preservation and promotion of visual and performing arts, encompassing music, dance, theatre, literature, and fine arts.

IGNCA signed MoU with BSIP to mark India’s Unified Platform for Science and Culture

• August 13, 2025

Source: Press Information Bureau

The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, an autonomous trust under the Ministry of Culture, along with the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at IGNCA, New Delhi. The MoU represents the first initiative in India to integrate science and culture on a unified platform, with the aim of showcasing the nation’s scientific and cultural achievements to both domestic and international audiences. On this occasion, an orientation programme was organised for the students of eleven PG Diploma courses conducted by IGNCA, spanning areas from Cultural Informatics to Indian Literature, with the objective of embedding traditional knowledge within contemporary education. These courses, designed to develop skilled professionals, provide practical training and hands-on experience, fostering a meaningful exchange between learners, experts, and living traditions.

International Manuscript Heritage Conference

• August 11, 2025

Source: Press Information Bureau

The Government proposes to host the first-ever international Manuscript Heritage Conference titled ‘Reclaiming India’s Knowledge Legacy Through Manuscript Heritage’ in September 2025. This event is planned to commemorate the 132nd Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's historic address at the Parliament of the World's Religions held in Chicago on September 11, 1893.

The conference aims to bring together scholars, historians, manuscript experts, and cultural practitioners from across the world to explore, preserve, and promote India’s vast and diverse Manuscript Heritage. Key themes and focus areas of the conference include:

Decipherment of Ancient Scripts: Indus, Gilgit and Sankha
Survey, Documentation, Metadata Standards and Digital Archiving
Manuscriptology and Paleography, Codicology
Digitization Tools, Platforms, and Protocols (HTR, AI, IIIF)
Conservation and Restoration of Manuscripts
Decoding Manuscripts: Pathways to the Indian Knowledge System
Manuscripts as Tools of Cultural Diplomacy
Legal and Ethical Frameworks for Manuscript Preservation and Access