As India accelerates its digital governance journey, the ability to communicate with citizens in their own languages, instantly and effectively, has never been more crucial. Traditional methods of content creation face limitations today to keep pace with the scale, speed, and diversity required for meaningful public outreach. In line with the Government of India’s commitment to inclusive, technology-driven communication, there is a strong push to adopt AI-based solutions that can bridge linguistic divides and ensure last-mile information delivery across the country.

Kalaa Setu: Real-Time Language Tech for Bharat

In a strategic push to harness the power of AI for inclusive communication, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting through its WaveX Startup Accelerator Platform has launched the “Kalaa Setu – Real-Time Language Tech for Bharat” Challenge. This nation-wide initiative invites India’s leading AI startups to develop indigenous, scalable solutions for automated generation of audio, video, and graphic content from textual inputs, with support for multiple Indian languages.

The challenge focuses on scalable solutions that support three core areas of AI-driven content generation. First, text-to-video generation, which allows for automated creation of video content from text, with the ability to customize the environment, tone, and subject matter to suit different communication needs. Second, text-to-graphics generation, which enables the production of data-driven infographics and illustrative visuals that make complex information easier to understand and visually engaging. Third, text-to-audio generation, which uses advanced voice synthesis to produce speech that is not only accurate but also emotionally expressive and sensitive to regional accents, enhancing relatability and impact in multilingual contexts.

Citizen-Centric Applications

Kalaa Setu aims to bridge the digital language divide by enabling public communication bodies to dynamically transform official information into regionally resonant formats such as infographic visuals, contextualized video explainers, and audio news capsules, in real time. Whether it is a farmer accessing weather alerts, a student receiving exam updates, or a senior citizen learning about healthcare schemes, the initiative seeks to deliver information in a manner that is not only contextually relevant but also available in their own languages.

How to Apply

Startups can register and apply for the challenge through the WAVEX portal at https://wavex.wavesbazaar.com under the “Kalaa Setu” challenge category. Startups have to submit a working Minimum Viable Concept (MVC) by July 30th, 2025, showcasing the video demo of the product. The final shortlisted teams will present their solutions before a national jury in New Delhi, with the winner receiving an MoU for full-scale development, pilot support with AIR, DD, and PIB, and incubation under the WAVEX Innovation Platform. Technical requirements and other details for the challenges can be accessed from the WaveX portal.

BhashaSetu Challenge

‘Bhasha Setu’ real-time language translation challenge was launched under WaveX on 30th June 2025. Startups can still apply for ‘Bhasha Setu’ till 22nd July 2025 through the WaveX portal, under the Bhasha Setu challenge category.

These initiatives underscore the Government of India’s strong commitment to advancing AI-driven solutions for inclusive and effective governance. By promoting indigenous innovation in multilingual content generation and real-time language translation, the government aims to bridge communication gaps and ensure last-mile information delivery in every Indian language. Kalaa Setu and Bhasha Setu are key steps in building a future-ready digital ecosystem that reflects the linguistic and cultural diversity of the nation, while fostering a vibrant startup innovation landscape.

About WaveX

WaveX is the dedicated startup accelerator platform launched under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting’s WAVES initiative, aimed at nurturing innovation in the media, entertainment, and language technology sectors. At the WAVES Summit held in Mumbai in May 2025, WaveX provided pitching opportunities to over 30 promising startups, enabling direct engagement with government agencies, investors, and industry leaders. WaveX continues to support breakthrough ideas through targeted hackathons, incubation, mentorship, and integration with national platforms.

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Dharmendra Tewari/Navin Sreejith

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