Shillong: In a historic move towards promoting linguistic inclusion and technological innovation, the Government of Meghalaya has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Digital India Bhashini Division under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India.
The agreement will facilitate the integration of the indigenous Khasi and Garo languages into the BHASHINI platform — a flagship initiative of the Digital India programme.
The MoU was signed during a ceremony attended by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, Minister of Art and Culture Paul Lyngdoh, and representatives from the Khasi Literature Society and A’chik Literature Society.
Signing the agreement were CEO of the Digital India Bhashini Division, Amitabh Nag, and Commissioner and Secretary of the IT Department, Pravin Bakshi.
BHASHINI aims to bridge language barriers using cutting-edge artificial intelligence and natural language processing technologies.
With Garo and Khasi set to join 22 other Indian languages already integrated into the platform, Meghalaya becomes part of a pioneering group of states making their native languages digitally accessible at a national scale.
Expressing pride over the development, Sangma stated, “Who could have imagined that one day, through the power of Artificial Intelligence, we would be able not only to digitally translate what we say, but also what we mean? This technology will have a deep impact across society — from education and healthcare to tourism and grassroots governance.”
He emphasised the transformative potential of the initiative in boosting inclusive governance, citizen engagement, and entrepreneurship, adding, “This is a significant step in job creation, innovation, and making government communication more effective.”
To ensure effective rollout, the state government has constituted a State Language Mission for Bhashini, led by Chief Secretary D.P. Wahlang.
The Mission will oversee the integration and development of digital resources for Garo and Khasi, taking into account the unique scripts, phonetics, and dialects of both languages.
While the Khasi language has already been incorporated into the BHASHINI app and will be refined with continued input from the state, work is underway to develop an AI model for Garo, with data collection currently in progress.
The MoU is expected to accelerate this development and enhance the functionality of the app.
Highlighting the cultural significance, the chief minister reiterated the government’s commitment to preserving the linguistic and cultural heritage of Meghalaya.
“Language is our identity. Culture defines who we are. While we embrace technology, we must never forget our roots,” he said.
He also noted ongoing efforts to explore deeper cultural ties between the tribes of Meghalaya and other regions such as Myanmar and Cambodia.
Experts believe the initiative represents a major milestone in India’s digital language mission, fostering cultural integration, rural innovation, and intellectual exchange across linguistic communities.
