G20: India to use innovative tech-based exhibition to project itself as ‘liberal democracy’ to world leaders

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The primary objective of this exhibition is to convey to the world that democracy has deep-rooted historical and cultural origins in India, they said. The textual content, along with its audio, is presented in 16 global languages, including English, French Mandarin, Italian, Korean and Japanese.

The 26 interactive panels in the exhibition cover an array of topics, including 7,000 years of India’s democratic ethos, Saurav Bhaik, CEO of Tagbin, technological partners for the exhibition, told the Indian Express.

The panels pertain to the Sindhu-Saraswati civilisation, the Vedic era, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the ancient Indian concepts of Mahajanapada and Gantantra, and also take up collective decision-making right from the time of Jainism and Buddhism.

Foreigners who visited India in ancient times and documented their experiences have also been highlighted: Megasthenes, an ancient Greek historian and ethnographer in the Hellenistic period, who described India in his book Indica; and Chinese explorer Fa Hsien, who travelled by foot from China to India to acquire Buddhist texts.

A huge section is dedicated to the role of the Election Commission of India – conducting free and fair elections, managing the scale and demography in a country like India, and ensuring a smooth transfer of power in the country, year after year. The exhibition spans India’s election traditions, from its early days to the modern era. It covers the journey from the first general elections held in 1951-52 after Independence, all the way up to the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

At the heart of the exhibition stands a rotating sculpture of the Dancing Girl from the Sindhu-Saraswati Civilization, elevated on a podium in the centre of the hall. Informative kiosks placed alongside the sculpture provide detailed descriptions of the same. This replica, crafted in bronze, stands at an impressive height of 5 feet and weighs 120 kg, while the original object measures a mere 10.5 cm.

Leveraging state-of-the-art technology, Tagbin has ensured that the exhibition aims to enlighten visitors about India’s profound democratic heritage, Bhaik added. These kiosks have been strategically arranged in a line. To prevent audio intersections and provide a seamless audio experience, directional speakers have been deployed. These specialised speakers are designed to ensure that only one person at a time, standing within the designated area, can hear the audio content clearly.

Bhaik said, “Indian ethos and democracy embodies the values of freedom, acceptability, equality and inclusivity in society, allowing its common citizens to lead a quality and dignified life. The ‘Mother of Democracy’ exhibition highlights this illustrious legacy.”

The panels offer a glimpse into India’s democratic history, how it has withstood the test of time and continues to inspire nations worldwide. The exhibition will project India as a shining example of a liberal democracy, official sources said.

The sources added besides showcasing India’s achievements in fintech such as UPI, highlighting the image of the country as a liberal democracy was also the Prime Minister’s call, especially in the wake of a section of international press raising questions on India’s democratic institutions and inclusivity. In fact, in the international media centre, the exhibition has been replicated to create a positive narrative among the world media.

Asserting that India is “indeed the mother of democracy”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently said that democracy refers not just to a structure but also the spirit of equality. In a virtual address to the Summit for Democracy in March this year, co-hosted by the US, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, South Korea and Zambia, Modi had claimed that the Mahabharata, the Vedas and all historical references prove that non-hereditary rulers first existed in India.

“The idea of elected leaders was a common feature in ancient India, long before the rest of the world,” Modi said at the summit, where leaders of about 40 countries gave national statements. “There are also many historical references to republic states in ancient India where the rulers were not hereditary. India is, indeed, the mother of democracy,” he said.

The Prime Minister had earlier referred to India as the “mother of democracy” in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2021. In the Mahabharata, the first duty of citizens is described as choosing their own leader” and the Vedas dated much earlier, “speak of political power being exercised by broad-based consultative bodies”, he had said. India is a mother of democracy and a model of diversity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated on the occasion of the 77th Independence Day this year.

AI avatar to welcome heads of states

At the entry of the exhibition, an artificial-intelligence based hologram has been developed to provide personalised greetings for VIPs, VVIPs, and other visitors, officials said.

This AI avatar (dressed in traditional Indian attire) employs advanced voice cloning technology to generate a real-person voice to welcome the heads of state. It utilises sophisticated face recognition capabilities to identify individuals, offering tailored greetings based on their identities. However, even if a person is not recognised, they can receive a warm welcome with a predefined text, such as ‘Namaste’.