In a move to strengthen its foothold in AI-powered public service delivery, Ola-backed AI startup Krutrim has acquired BharatSahayak, a digital governance platform previously operated by tech consulting firm Samagra. The acquisition aims to accelerate Krutrim’s efforts in building scalable, AI-driven solutions for India’s public sector ecosystem.
While financial details of the transaction were not disclosed, the acquisition is being seen as a strategic step to combine Krutrim’s advanced AI models with BharatSahayak’s on-ground implementation experience in state-level service delivery and citizen engagement.
Strengthening AI in Governance
Founded by Bhavish Aggarwal, Krutrim has been focused on developing India-centric large language models (LLMs) and AI applications tailored to local languages and contexts. The acquisition of BharatSahayak gives Krutrim access to a platform that has already been used by district and state-level governments in regions such as Haryana and Odisha to improve service delivery and field-level coordination.
BharatSahayak provides digital tools to support government officers in responding to citizen queries, managing welfare program implementation, and tracking delivery efficiency. Its data dashboards and real-time monitoring tools are designed to bring transparency and accountability into governance processes.
By integrating Krutrim’s AI stack — including voice-enabled chatbots, natural language interfaces, and decision-support systems — the platform is expected to evolve into a more intelligent and scalable solution for digital public infrastructure.
Localized AI for Inclusive Access
Krutrim’s AI models have been trained specifically for low-resource environments and multilingual communication, aiming to serve users beyond metro cities. The BharatSahayak acquisition fits into this broader mission of democratizing access to AI for government workers and citizens across India.
According to the company, the goal is to bring AI-powered assistance to every level of governance — from state capitals to village panchayats — using tools that function seamlessly in Indian languages and dialects.
In an official statement, Krutrim noted that the acquisition would help it scale AI-driven solutions across India’s diverse administrative systems while keeping the focus on inclusivity and accessibility.
Samagra’s Exit and Platform Legacy
BharatSahayak was originally incubated by Samagra, a public systems consulting firm that has worked closely with state governments on digital transformation initiatives. Under Samagra’s leadership, the platform was deployed in over 20 districts, supporting more than 8,000 field officials.
Samagra stated that Krutrim’s AI and product capabilities would help take BharatSahayak “to the next level,” enabling it to support more sophisticated use cases in citizen service delivery and feedback systems.
Broader Implications for India’s AI Landscape
Krutrim’s move is seen as part of a growing trend where Indian AI companies are expanding into impact-first domains such as governance, healthcare, and education — going beyond typical enterprise or consumer-focused use cases.
This acquisition also underscores the increasing importance of AI in government service delivery, especially as states continue to digitize welfare systems, grievance redressal mechanisms, and real-time citizen interaction platforms.
From a Martech lens, the development signals how AI-powered interfaces are becoming essential tools not only for internal operations but also for direct public communication. Such platforms may eventually support outreach programs, targeted messaging, behavior change campaigns, and citizen data analytics — all of which connect back to marketing technologies and engagement strategies.
The Road Ahead
With BharatSahayak under its wing, Krutrim plans to extend its AI deployment deeper into India’s governance ecosystem. The focus will be on building intelligent, accessible tools that can improve both efficiency and user experience across public systems.
As digital public infrastructure continues to evolve, this acquisition positions Krutrim as a key player in India’s AI-for-governance journey — one that combines tech innovation with social impact at scale.
