The Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) under Digital India Corporation, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, conducted an interactive session with Kathmandu University's Center for Digital Public Infrastructure and Artificial Intelligence (DPI-AI) team, followed by a meeting with the Vice Chancellor. The engagement focused on exploring opportunities for joint collaboration in Language AI with a shared interest in strengthening language technologies for Nepal.
Discussions highlighted the opportunity to strengthen existing language models while creating new models for underrepresented languages in AI, with particular attention given to Nepali, Newari, Tamang, and Gurung languages. The collaboration also focuses on traditional scripts including Prachalit Lipi and Ranjana Lipi, recognizing the importance of integrating Nepal's linguistic diversity into the digital and AI ecosystem.
A key part of the conversation centered on the language data challenge, noting that building high-quality, representative datasets requires sustained collection and curation across languages, speakers, and scripts. The discussion also addressed improving translation capabilities and the computing requirements needed to train, refine, and scale language models.
The engagement looked beyond model development toward real-world deployment, including the potential for voice-first solutions. The focus was on connecting language data, models, and technology with applications that can create meaningful digital experiences in local languages.
Kathmandu University, through its DPI-AI Centre, brings capabilities in research, innovation, and digital public infrastructure to the collaboration. The interaction provided a platform to exchange perspectives and explore areas where technology, research, and local language expertise can advance Language AI for Nepal.
Background information reveals that Digital India BHASHINI Division is India's national platform for AI-powered multilingual digital inclusion, powering over 800 government websites with more than 9 billion cumulative AI inferences. The platform processes over 24 million AI inferences daily and supports 36 Indian text languages, 23 Indian voice languages, and 35 international languages. Kathmandu University is an autonomous, not-for-profit, self-funding public institution established by an Act of Parliament in 1991, dedicated to academic excellence with strong emphasis on research and technological literacy.