Yashoda AI Abhiyan: India's first AI literacy campaign for rural women – explained

On May 22, a women’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy and digital awareness workshop was organised at the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. The event is part of the Yashoda AI initiative, which aims to empower women to contribute meaningfully to a Viksit Bharat driven by technology and inclusion.

Led by the National Commission for Women (NCW), the Yashoda AI Abhiyan wants to stand as India's effort to empower women, mainly from rural and semi-urban communities, with essential skills in AI, Cybersecurity, and Digital Safety.

Since then, Yashoda AI, billed as the country's first AI education initiative specifically for women, has conducted 11 workshops, reaching diverse segments of society, including rural women, first-time technology users, law enforcement personnel, and local leaders.

Here is all you need to know about Yashoda AI:

Yashoda AI is a transformative model for responsible tech adoption. The program imparts technical awareness and contextual understanding, enabling communities to participate in and benefit from the AI-driven future actively.

The initiative, for example, engaged with police officers in Moradabad in Western Uttar Pradesh, facilitating a cross-sector dialogue on the ethical use of AI.

“Women from the grassroots are not just learning about AI, they are asking how they can use it for their families, farms, and future. That is empowerment in its truest sense.” Vijaya Rahatkar, Chairperson, NCW said at the launch.

Those behind the initiative say that Yashoda AI aims to ensure that women are not just beneficiaries of the digital revolution but active contributors to it. The goal is to democratise access to AI knowledge and create an ecosystem where everyone has a voice in shaping technological futures.

“Yashoda AI is not just about decoding artificial intelligence for the grassroots. It is about reclaiming agency in a digital age. We believe that ethical AI must begin with inclusive awareness, and that means building understanding from the ground up,” Sagar Vishnoi, Director, Future Shift Labs, told LiveMint

AI Passport supports learning across tasks such as everyday assistance with ChatGPT and Google Gemini, research with ChatPDF and Notion AI, creativity with Canva AI, and organisation with Fireflies.ai. It also takes you through modern tools in vernacular languages such as Krutrim, Anuvadini, to name a few.

This initiative empowers women to take charge of their digital journeys, fostering inclusive skill development and helping them navigate the evolving digital world safely and effectively.

The AI Literacy Toolkit is a resource designed to help women understand how artificial intelligence impacts their digital lives, focusing on both its benefits and potential harms. The toolkit, also in Hindi, educates users on online safety, including issues like stalking, impersonation, cyberbullying, and data privacy.

The toolkit provides practical advice on using AI responsibly, identifying fake profiles, and protecting personal information. It also informs women about their rights and the legal steps they can take in case of cyber abuse.

Developed with support from the NCW, the toolkit aims to empower women to navigate digital spaces confidently and safely.

What makes Yashoda AI a unique?

Yashoda AI is unique due to its grassroots-first approach to AI and it moves  beyond the confines of elite tech discourse and actively engages those who are often excluded from digital narratives. 

By embedding gender equity, content localisation, and context-specific governance insights, the program teaches AI and reimagines it through the lens of social justice.