New Delhi: In a move aimed at making Aadhaar-related communication more accessible and citizen-friendly, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched ‘Udai’ a resident-facing mascot designed to simplify public understanding of Aadhaar services.
The mascot will serve as a communication companion to help residents navigate Aadhaar-related processes such as updates, authentication, offline verification, selective data sharing, adoption of new technologies and responsible usage.
Udai was selected through a national design and naming competition conducted on the MyGov platform, reflecting UIDAI’s emphasis on public participation and inclusivity.
The initiative drew an enthusiastic response, with 875 entries submitted by students, professionals and designers fr0m across the country. The selection process followed a multi-tier evaluation framework to ensure transparency and rigour, resulting in a mascot shaped by public creativity and institutional review.
The first prize in the mascot design competition was awarded to Arun Gokul fr0m Thrissur, Kerala, while Idris Dawaiwala of Pune, Maharashtra, and Krishna Sharma fr0m Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, secured the second and third positions, respectively.
In the mascot naming competition, Riya Jain fr0m Bhopal emerged as the winner, followed by Idris Dawaiwala of Pune and Maharaj Saran Chellapilla of Hyderabad in second and third place.
The mascot was formally unveiled at a UIDAI function in Thiruvananthapuram by Neelkanth Mishra, Chairman, UIDAI, who also felicitated the winners. He said the launch of Udai marks another step in UIDAI’s efforts to make Aadhaar communication simpler, more inclusive and relatable for over a billion residents.
Bhuvnesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, UIDAI, noted that the open national competition reaffirmed a core principle of Aadhaar that public participation builds trust and acceptance.
He added that the wide response highlighted the strong public connect with Aadhaar as a public good. Vivek C. Verma, Deputy Director General, UIDAI, said the mascot, as a companion and narrator, will help residents engage more easily with Aadhaar-related information and services.
