In a classroom, a teacher wonders if AI can help plan better lessons. In a lab, a researcher looks at data that once felt hard to decode. Somewhere else, a cricket fan studies match patterns through numbers. For many such learners, AI feels useful, powerful and still slightly out of reach.

Often, the barrier is language.

That is what IIT Madras is trying to change.

With its ‘AI for All’ courses now available in Hindi on SWAYAM Plus, IIT Madras is asking what AI education can look like when learners begin in a language they are comfortable with.

Taking AI beyond coding screens

For a long time, AI has sounded like something meant for engineers, coders, and people who already speak the language of technology.

But AI is already entering spaces far beyond computer labs. A commerce student may use it to understand automation. A teacher may use it to plan lessons better. A chemistry researcher may use it to study reactions. A cricket fan may use it to read match patterns through data.

That is the gap IIT Madras wanted to address when it introduced the ‘AI for All’ initiative in May 2025, in collaboration with IIT Madras Pravartak. The idea was to take AI literacy to learners across disciplines, especially those who were curious about the technology but did not know where to begin.

The response showed how many people were waiting for such an entry point. The first edition drew over 42,000 registrations, while the second edition in September 2025 crossed 50,000 registrations.

Then, on 22 January 2026, the initiative took another important step. SWAYAM Plus launched the courses in Hindi, bringing AI learning closer to learners who may understand the concept better when it is explained in a language they are comfortable with.

From classrooms to research labs and even cricket analytics, the ‘AI for All’ initiative shows how artificial intelligence can support learning across disciplines.

The programme now offers six free, beginner-friendly online courses in Hindi: AI for Educators, AI in Physics, AI in Chemistry, AI in Accounting, Cricket Analytics with AI, and AI/ML using Python. The courses use hands-on activities, real datasets, and case-based learning. They require no prior coding knowledge and focus on how AI can be used in real situations.

“As the name suggests, we wanted to break the idea that AI is only for computer science professionals,” says Prof R Sarathi, Dean (Planning), IIT Madras. “We made it for everyone.”

Reinforcing this vision, Prof V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, says, “As AI becomes all-pervasive, creating awareness at scale is crucial and making the courses bilingual ensures that both concepts and opportunities reach a much wider audience across the country.”

In that sense, ‘everyone’ includes the learner who once felt AI was too technical, the teacher trying to bring new tools into the classroom, the student preparing for a changing workplace, and the researcher looking for better ways to work with data.

Why language matters in learning AI

For Prof Sarathi, the move to Hindi — and eventually other Indian languages is rooted in decades of teaching experience.

“With more than 30 years in academics, I could understand the needs of the Indian scenario,” he explains. “If a student learns in a native language, there is a lot more comfort in understanding the concept.”

That comfort is critical, especially when dealing with complex and fast-evolving technologies.

The courses are designed to reach learners in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, where access to high-quality technical education is often limited. By offering AI education in Hindi, IIT Madras is not just translating content — it is enabling participation.

“It is our responsibility to enable them with a thought process,” Prof Sarathi adds. “Learning in the mother tongue gives confidence.”

Closing the gap between syllabus and skills 

One of the biggest challenges in education today is keeping pace with rapid technological change.

“The technology growth is exponential,” says Prof Sarathi. “But curriculum changes take time. That creates a gap.”

SWAYAM Plus aims to bridge this gap by offering industry-aligned courses developed by industry partners.

“The idea is to empower students to say, ‘I know what the industry needs,’” he explains.

Each course spans 25 to 45 hours and includes hands-on exercises and case-based learning, so learners can understand what they learn and apply it in practical ways. 

Removing the fear around AI

For many first-time learners, AI comes with a sense of fear. Some worry that they are already too late. Others wonder if the technology will take over the work they do. 

“People think AI will replace them,” says Balamurali Shankar, Chief Knowledge Officer at IIT Madras Pravartak. “Our job is to show that AI will work with them.”

Designed with real datasets, case studies and hands-on exercises, the courses focus on helping beginners understand how AI can solve real-world problems.

That idea guides how the courses have been designed. Pravartak, a not-for-profit established by IIT Madras, brings together inputs from academia, industry, and startups so that the learning stays connected to real-world use.

The Hindi translation, too, follows this approach. AI tools help make the process scalable, while human reviewers check the content for accuracy and ease of understanding.

This focus on people is part of what IIT Madras Pravartak calls “CHAI” (Centre for Human-Centric AI). In the courses, that means learners are first introduced to the basic ideas behind AI before they move towards tools, coding, and applications.

“The moment you start with complexity, it creates fear,” Bala explains. “So we go step by step.”

Learning AI through cricket, chemistry, and commerce

A defining feature of the programme is its use of familiar, real-world contexts.

Cricket, for instance, becomes a gateway to understanding data analysis — through player stats, pitch conditions, and match patterns.

Similarly, accounting learners explore fraud detection and financial predictions, while chemistry and physics students work with datasets to model reactions and real-world systems.

The idea is simple: meet learners where they are.

The courses are designed to be interactive, not something youjust sit through. “There are doubt-clearing sessions, quizzes, and forums,” says Prof Sarathi.

Feedback from earlier editions brought more live sessions and more support. The courses run on a smartphone, too, which widens the door further. 

Voices from the classroom

For many learners, the shift to Hindi is about language, confidence, clarity, and inclusion. Students and educators who have engaged with the programme describe it as a gateway into a field they once found intimidating. 

For Prabhakar Shetti, a 36-year-old doctoral researcher in chemistry from Mumbai, the programme arrived at a pivotal moment. Having nearly completed his PhD, his work already involved computational chemistry, molecular docking, and data-driven analysis. Yet, like many from non-computer science backgrounds, he saw artificial intelligence as a powerful but distant domain. 

Enrolling in courses such as AI in Chemistry and AI for Educators through the SWAYAM portal became a way to bridge that gap.

For learners like Prabhakar Shetti and Alok Devedi, studying AI in Hindi has transformed a subject that once felt intimidating into one that feels practical and achievable.

Both the content and the accessibility stood out to him. Concepts like Python programming, data handling, and tools such as Google Colab — once perceived as complex — began to feel approachable. More importantly, he could immediately see their relevance to his field.

“What is the loss in enrolling? We can always learn something new — and add value to our knowledge,” he says, adding that in just two weeks, he has begun to understand data, Python, and how these concepts can be applied with more ease. 

For Shetti, AI was no longer abstract; it was a practical extension of his research toolkit — useful for simulating reactions, analysing datasets, and predicting molecular behaviour.

Educators, too, found value in this shift. 

Alok Devedi, a teacher and content creator from Varanasi, described Hindi-based AI education as a crucial step toward inclusivity. He pointed out that learning in one’s native language allows learners to focus on understanding concepts rather than translating terminology.

“When we learn in our own language, our focus stays on the concept and not in  decoding the language, he says.

“It helps people move from being passive users of technology to actually understanding and using AI.”

Listening to what learners need next 

The learner response also brought useful feedback. Some learners, especially those trained in English-medium higher education, noted that frequent switching between Hindi and English could occasionally disrupt comprehension.

This points to an important truth: accessibility in AI education has to account for different learning preferences. Some learners may need Hindi-first explanations. Others may prefer bilingual support. Many may need both, depending on the concept being taught.

For Ghodechor Dnyaneshwar Harishchandra, who took the AI for Educators course, learning AI concepts in Hindi made them more intuitive and less intimidating. “AI is not something magical — it is a tool. It depends on how well you know how to use it,” he adds. 

“Generative AI creates, while traditional AI only retrieves, like a librarian versus a teacher.”

Experienced educators echoed this enthusiasm. Professor Amitabh Saxena, with decades of teaching experience in computer science, appreciated the programme’s practical orientation, particularly activities like creating short videos using AI tools.

At the same time, he highlighted the need for supplementary materials such as PDFs and presentations — an insight that reflects how digital learning can continue to evolve to better serve its audience.

By aligning its curriculum with industry needs, SWAYAM Plus is helping students and professionals build AI skills that are increasingly relevant in today’s workplace. Photograph: (AI generated)

Across these voices runs a common thread: AI education, when made accessible, becomes transformative. Whether applied to chemistry research, classroom teaching, or career advancement, learners see it as a “Brahmastra” (a powerful weapon in Indian mythology), a powerful tool whose impact depends on how it is used. 

As Prabhakar Shetti puts it, reflecting on his journey:

“What I thought was complex and distant is now something I can use, understand, and build upon. AI is not just for experts — it is for anyone willing to learn.”

As AI continues to reshape the world, initiatives like this signal an important shift — not just in technology, but in who gets to participate in it.

By lowering the barriers of language and prior experience, IIT Madras is holding the door open for a far wider crowd to step into one of the most transformative technologies of our time. 

To explore the courses or register, visit their website. 

All images courtesy IIT Madras