Bhubaneswar: Odisha is rapidly pivoting from a traditional mineral-based economy to a high-tech mind economy under the strategic initiative of Shri Vishal Kumar Dev, the Additional Chief Secretary, Energy and E& IT. The recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Sarvam AI marks a cornerstone in this transition, securing a 2.3 billion dollar investment to establish India first sovereign AI hub in Odisha.
The ambitious project is set to host 25,000 GPUs in an AI-optimised facility, designed to function as a state-level public utility. Beyond local benefits, the hub is expected to anchor a nationwide compute grid, offering sovereign capacity to other states and national digital platforms.
ACS Shri Dev has been a vocal proponent of this initiative, highlighting its potential to create 5,000 highly skilled jobs and catalyze an entire ecosystem that balances industrial strength with digital intelligence.
The overdrive for technology extends deeply into the financial sector as well. On the heels of the AI hub announcement, Odisha is finalising a comprehensive new fintech policy. During the recent Black Swan Summit in Bhubaneswar, ACS Shri Dev outlined a vision where fintech and insurtech are leveraged as workforce multipliers. This includes the implementation of the BharatNetra strategy, which aligns vocational training with the needs of global financial institutions to prevent brain drain and attract global capability centres.
ACS Shri Dev approach to operationalising AI is distinct in its focus on move from pilots to production. Under his leadership, Odisha was the first state to roll out a dedicated AI policy aligned with the national IndiaAI Mission. Practical applications are already in development, such as the Sushasan Sahayak chatbot, an in-house platform designed to assist government officials with administrative and financial rules, and various vision AI tools intended to improve safety and compliance in the state heavy industries.
As Sarvam AI prepares to release India first sovereign AI large language model on February 18, Odisha stands ready to become the compute backbone for these emerging technologies. The synergy between massive infrastructure investments and progressive policy frameworks under Dev tenure is positioning the state as a frontline contributor to the national vision of a digitally empowered Bharat.