Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government’s Electronics and Information Technology (E&IT) Department, in collaboration with the Wadhwani Foundation, organized a pioneering day-long workshop titled “AI and Emerging Technologies for Government Digital Transformation” at the State Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhavan, on Wednesday.
The event, graced by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja as the chief guest, marked the first in a series of training sessions aimed at equipping government officials with artificial intelligence (AI) skills to enhance public service delivery and governance.
The workshop brought together key stakeholders, including Principal Secretary of E&IT Department Vishal Dev, Special Secretary Manas Panda, CEO of Wadhwani Centre for Government Digital Transformation Prakash Kumar, senior officials from various departments, representatives from the Wadhwani Foundation, and members of Odisha’s digital governance ecosystem. The initiative aligns with Odisha’s strategy to foster institutional readiness for adopting AI and data-driven approaches across government functions.
In his address, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja emphasized AI’s transformative potential, stating, “AI can radically simplify how citizens interact with the state, turning complex processes into seamless ones. Our officers must embrace emerging technologies to build responsible, AI-driven systems that deliver faster, transparent, and efficient services. This is Odisha’s opportunity to lead nationally.”
Principal Secretary Vishal Dev outlined Odisha’s ambitious roadmap for AI adoption, saying, “We are positioning Odisha as a national leader in AI through the upcoming Odisha AI Policy and the launch of the Odisha AI Mission. Our partnerships with NASSCOM, the Wadhwani Foundation, and the establishment of an AI Centre of Excellence in Bhubaneswar reflect our commitment to a robust AI ecosystem. We are also collaborating with the India AI Mission to pilot AI solutions across departments, fostering innovation and inclusive governance.”
Prakash Kumar, CEO of Wadhwani Foundation, commended Odisha’s proactive approach, noting, “Odisha’s steps toward AI-driven governance are inspiring. We will work closely with the government to identify critical challenges and develop feasible AI solutions, leveraging our expertise in government digital transformation.”
The workshop provided hands-on exposure to AI applications in governance, with sessions exploring generative AI tools, their role in complex analysis and content generation, and implementation models prioritizing privacy, security, data ethics, and bias mitigation. Participants engaged with real-world AI projects, including a generative AI assistant for teachers, a citizen engagement platform, and an AI tool for at-home screening of pregnant women.
Additional discussions focused on data-driven decision-making, predictive analytics for real-time monitoring, and structured frameworks for transitioning from ideas to scalable AI projects. Participants were tasked with identifying governance challenges, which they will analyze with the Wadhwani Foundation to assess technical feasibility and receive expert feedback.
Odisha’s collaboration with the India AI Mission emphasizes key pillars such as compute infrastructure, skilling, innovation, and ethical frameworks. The state is also advancing linguistic AI initiatives, including AI for the Odia language and cultural preservation, in partnership with IIT Bhubaneswar, BHASHINI, and C-DAC.
Through such workshops, the Odisha government aims to build AI awareness, initiate pilot projects, and institutionalize AI-led governance across sectors. These efforts position Odisha as a potential national hub for AI innovation, ensuring responsible and impactful technology deployment.
