New Delhi : The Government of India’s startup accelerator platform WaveX, under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, has launched ‘Kalaa Setu – Real-Time Language Tech for Bharat’, a national innovation challenge aimed at India’s leading AI startups. The initiative seeks cutting-edge AI solutions that can generate audio, video, and graphics from text in multiple Indian languages—enabling faster, inclusive, and regionalized citizen communication.
As India continues its push for digital-first governance, the need for scalable and real-time content delivery in local languages has become critical. ‘Kalaa Setu’ addresses this challenge by inviting startups to build tools that automatically convert official text into contextually relevant multimedia content such as videos, infographics, and audio clips—each tailored for regional audiences.
Three Core Areas of Innovation
The challenge focuses on three primary content transformation technologies:
- Text-to-Video Generation – Automated video creation using AI, adaptable to different styles, tones, and formats.
- Text-to-Graphics Generation – Infographics and illustrations that simplify complex data for easy public consumption.
- Text-to-Audio Generation – Voice synthesis that mirrors emotional tone and regional accents for a more human and relatable user experience.
- These technologies will play a key role in helping government bodies convert alerts, schemes, and updates into compelling formats for farmers, students, workers, and senior citizens—bridging the digital language divide and enhancing last-mile delivery.
Application & Participation
Interested startups can apply via the WaveX portal at https://wavex.wavesbazaar.com under the “Kalaa Setu” category. Applications must include a Minimum Viable Concept (MVC) with a video demonstration, to be submitted by July 30, 2025. Shortlisted entries will pitch to a national jury in New Delhi, with winners receiving a government MoU, pilot collaboration with All India Radio (AIR), Doordarshan (DD), and Press Information Bureau (PIB), as well as startup incubation and mentorship.
Complementary ‘Bhasha Setu’ Challenge
In parallel, the ‘Bhasha Setu’ Challenge—launched on June 30, 2025—is inviting entries for real-time language translation technologies. Applications for Bhasha Setu remain open until July 22, 2025, also via the WaveX portal.
WaveX is a flagship initiative under the WAVES programme, aimed at accelerating innovation in media, entertainment, and language tech. It supports emerging startups through hackathons, funding opportunities, mentorship, and government-industry interface. At the WAVES Summit in Mumbai earlier this year, WaveX enabled 30+ startups to pitch directly to key stakeholders, establishing itself as a premier ecosystem for tech-driven governance solutions.
With ‘Kalaa Setu’ and ‘Bhasha Setu’, the Government is laying the foundation for a multilingual digital future—making governance accessible, inclusive, and truly representative of India’s linguistic diversity.
