Upgraded Indian Culture portal launched, features AI-powered chatbot 'Bharti' to assist users

New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI) The government has revamped the Indian Culture portal with the new version featuring curated knowledge segments across various categories and an AI-powered chatbot to assist users in navigating it.

The upgraded portal also features virtual walkthroughs of several historic sites in India.

The Culture ministry, in a statement on Thursday, said its Secretary Vivek Aggarwal has launched the portal with a major technological upgrade that provides access to India's vast and diverse cultural heritage.

The portal was originally launched in December 2019 with the objective of democratising access to knowledge about India's rich cultural traditions, history, literature, arts and heritage.

It brings together digital resources from museums, libraries, archives and cultural institutions across the country on a unified platform.

"With increasing user traffic and evolving technological expectations, the portal has now undergone a comprehensive upgrade to provide a faster, more scalable, and user-friendly experience," it said.

This new architecture replaces the earlier monolithic system and ensures faster loading times, improved responsiveness, and enhanced reliability even during high-traffic usage.

The platform has been developed using modern technologies to support millions of users and integrate future digital services with ease, the ministry said.

One of the key highlights of the upgraded portal is the integration of artificial intelligence-enabled tools designed to improve user engagement and discovery of cultural content.

An AI-powered chatbot -- 'Bharti' has been introduced to assist users in navigating the portal, answering queries, summarising cultural content, and guiding users to relevant resources, the statement said.

The chatbot is integrated with the Government of India's Bhashini platform, enabling responses in 22 Indian languages, thereby significantly enhancing accessibility for users across linguistic communities, according to the ministry.

The portal also includes an advanced multilevel global search system, which provides full-text search capabilities along with intelligent metadata filters and faceted navigation, allowing users to discover cultural resources more efficiently.

"The upgraded portal functions as a Progressive Web App (PWA), allowing users to install and access the platform across devices with an app-like experience without requiring downloads from app stores. The PWA ensures seamless performance across desktops, tablets, and smartphones," it said.

The portal also introduces immersive cultural experiences, including 3D walkthroughs and 360-degree virtual tours of many heritage monuments, allowing users to explore India's architectural and historical landmarks digitally.

It features 46 curated cultural categories, offering enriched knowledge resources and new original sections such as -- Iconic Battles of India, Folktales of India, Healing Through the Ages, Legendary Figures of India, Classical Dances of India.

These sections aim to provide engaging narratives about India’s cultural legacy while supporting students, researchers, educators, and citizens interested in Indian heritage.

To encourage learning through engagement, the portal includes interactive cultural games, quizzes, puzzles, and crosswords designed for users of all age groups, the Culture ministry said. PTI KND NSD NSD