Tapping Doordarshan’s vast archives train AI, India aims for culturally relevant technology & global creative leadership
By harnessing Doordarshan’s archives, India is blending tradition with technology, crafting AI that serves its people while eyeing global leadership. As nations vie for AI dominance, India’s focus on culturally attuned innovation could set it apart, cementing its place in the international tech race.
India is revolutionising its AI ambitions by opening the archives of Doordarshan, the nation’s public service broadcaster, to train cutting-edge AI models.
Established in 1959, Doordarshan has amassed over 60 years of content—thousands of hours of video and audio spanning India’s 22 official languages and numerous dialects. This rich repository of cultural and linguistic data offers an unparalleled resource for developing AI tools that resonate with India’s diverse population.
The Government’s move aims to create AI models that go beyond generic applications, embedding them with an understanding of regional nuances, dialects, and cultural contexts. These culturally relevant tools promise to enhance user experiences across India’s 1.4 billion people, ensuring technology reflects local identities and needs.
This initiative aligns with India’s broader AI strategy to claim a top spot in global innovation. The Government has committed $1 billion to AI research over the next five years and plans to establish 20 AI centers of excellence. With the Indian AI market expected to grow at 30 per cent annually—reaching $7.8 billion by 2025 — partnerships with tech giants like Google and Microsoft are accelerating progress. These efforts build on India’s existing strengths, including its vast IT workforce and growing startup ecosystem.
The potential applications are transformative. In education, AI could deliver personalized learning tailored to students’ cultural contexts. In healthcare, it could interpret local symptoms for better diagnostics. For public services, multilingual AI could bridge communication gaps, making information accessible to all. By harnessing Doordarshan’s archives, India is blending tradition with technology, crafting AI that serves its people while eyeing global leadership. As nations vie for AI dominance, India’s focus on culturally attuned innovation could set it apart, cementing its place in the international tech race.
Archives fuel innovation
India’s ambitious ₹10,000 crore initiative harnesses Doordarshan’s television archives to train AI models, creating tools that embody the nation’s rich cultural and linguistic diversity. This effort targets transformative impact in healthcare with region-specific diagnostics, education through personalised learning platforms, and agriculture via customised farming solutions. By repurposing decades of historical broadcasts, the project not only preserves India’s legacy but also drives cutting-edge AI development. It reflects the Government’s vision to advance societal well-being, positioning India as a pioneer in culturally resonant technology.
