“Real Beginning”: Real-Time AI Translation Tool Used During PM Modi's Varanasi Speech

Varanasi:

A real-time Artificial Intelligence-based translation tool was used during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech at Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi on Sunday.

Addressing at Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, PM Modi welcomed the participants calling them his family.

“Today, the use of new technology has taken place here through Artificial Intelligence (AI). This is a new beginning and hopefully, it makes it easier for me to reach you,” PM Modi said at Kashi Tamil Sangamam.

This was done through ‘Bhashini’ for those in the audience who understood Tamil. ‘Bhashini’ is an AI-led language translation system that enables people to speak in their own language while talking to speakers of other Indian languages.

He described the bond between the people of Tamil Nadu and Varanasi as special and said that travelling from Varanasi to Tamil Nadu is going from “Mahadev’s one home to another”.

“Going to Varanasi from Tamil Nadu means going from Mahadev’s one home to another. That’s why the bond between people of Tamil Nadu and Varanasi is special,” he said.

The Prime Minister also recalled the Sengol, which was installed in the new Parliament building, and said that it was brought to the Parliament from Tamil Nadu.

“…This feeling of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ was also visible when we entered the new building of Parliament. The Sengol has been installed in the new Parliament building. Under the guidance of the saints of Adheenam, this same Sengol became the symbol of the transfer of power in 1947,” he added.

The Prime Minister quoted King Pandiyan and said that Kashi cannot be destroyed despite various attacks by invaders in the past.

“When the centres of our faith, Kashi, were being attacked by invaders, King Parakram Pandiyan built temples in Tenkasi and Shivakasi saying that Kashi cannot be destroyed,” he said.

“If you look at any civilization of the world, you will hardly find such a simple and superior form of intimacy in diversity anywhere. Even recently, during the G-20 Summit, the world was amazed to see this diversity of India,” PM Modi added.

He said that India as a nation is made up of spiritual beliefs, unlike other countries in the world which have a political definition.

“In other countries of the world, the nation has been a political definition, but India as a nation is made up of spiritual beliefs. India has been united by saints like Adi Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya, who awakened the national consciousness of India through their travels,” he said.

At the inauguration of the second phase of Kashi Tamil Sangamam at Namo Ghat, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that in Tamil Nadu and Kashi, all the elements of the Indian culture are well preserved.

“During the last year, Tamil pilgrims coming to Kashi Vishwanath Dham have increased drastically. In Tamil Nadu and Kashi, all the elements of the Indian culture are well preserved. Due to the religious importance of Kashi, people from all over the country have been coming here,” Yogi Adityanath said.

“It is the center of faith, culture and spiritual awareness in India… Like Kashi, Tamil Nadu has also been a centre of culture, knowledge, art, architecture and literature since ancient times. Tamil literature is prosperous and ancient. In India, Sanskrit and Tamil literature are the most ancient… This inclusive literature generates unity and equality in society… Kashi Tamil Sangamam will strengthen the cultural nationalism of our country,” he added.

Earlier today, PM Modi inaugurated Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2.0 at Namo Ghat. He also flagged off the Kashi Tamil Sangamam Express train that is bound to run between Kanyakumari and Varanasi.

PM Modi inaugurated the express train during the second edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and other leaders attended the inauguration of Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2.0 at Namo Ghat.

Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2023 is an initiative by the Government of India, part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to uphold the Spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat.

The second edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS) is being held from December 17-30, 2023. The event is part of the government’s Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Yuva Sangam programme.

The KTS is a celebration of the shared history and culture of North and South India.The event aims to strengthen the bonds between the two regions by sharing knowledge, culture, and best practices.

The Kashi Tamil Sangamam will witness the participation of 1,400 dignitaries from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

In addition to the cultural exchange, an exhibition showcasing the rich tapestry of art, music, handlooms, handicrafts, cuisine, and other distinctive products from both Tamil Nadu and Kashi was also on the agenda.

The second edition of this Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme is proposed to be held from December 17, the first day of the holy Tamil Margali month, to December 30. 

Like its first edition, this programme proposes to take forward the objective of reviving the living bonds between Varanasi and Tamil Nadu–two important centres of learning and culture in ancient India–by facilitating people-to-people connections across different walks of life.

The first edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam was held from November 16 to December 16, 2022, with a whole-government approach. 

Over 2500 people from Tamil Nadu, representing 12 different walks of life, had travelled to Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya on 8 tours, during which they had an immersive experience of different aspects of life in and around Varanasi.

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