Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD) launches VYOMA Innovation Challenge

Key facts

• The Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), launched the VYOMA Innovation Challenge to develop open-source, multilingual and voice-first artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for offline and low-connectivity environments.
• The initiative is a collaboration with Current AI and Kalpa Impact and builds on Sunno Sutra, a handheld AI reference device unveiled at the IndiaAI Impact Summit 2026.
• The challenge invites startups, researchers, students, academic institutions, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), industry partners and independent innovators to develop applications for the Sunno Sutra platform.
• Target sectors for potential AI applications include education, healthcare, agriculture, governance and public service delivery.
• Twenty shortlisted teams will receive developer kits and mentorship, with winning teams eligible for prizes worth up to ₹80 lakh and deployment opportunities with central and state government departments.