Meet 'Udai', the new official Aadhaar mascot to simplify services

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Thursday (January 8) officially unveiled ‘Udai’ (उदय), the Aadhaar mascot, a new communication companion aimed at simplifying and enhancing public comprehension of Aadhaar services.

The mascot is designed to make information related to Aadhaar more accessible and user-friendly. It will facilitate the communication of Aadhaar services, covering aspects such as updates, authentication, offline verification, selective information sharing, adoption of new technologies, responsible usage, and much more.

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To give wings to its vision, UIDAI opted for an open and inclusive approach by initiating national design and name contests on the MyGov platform. The response was remarkable. UIDAI garnered 875 submissions from various parts of the country — including students, professionals, designers, and others — each presenting a distinct interpretation of what Aadhaar signifies to them.

A comprehensive evaluation process was implemented to guarantee fairness and thoroughness in the selection procedure. The outcome of this process is a stunning creation — molded by public creativity and polished through institutional commitment. The competition was held in October 2025 and had a prize pool of up to Rs 1 lakh.

Arun Gokul won first prize in mascot design contest

Arun Gokul from Thrissur, Kerala, bagged the first prize in the design competition, while Idris Dawaiwala of Pune, Maharashtra, and Krishna Sharma from Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, were the second and third prize winners, respectively.

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In the mascot-naming competition, Riya Jain of Bhopal won the first prize, followed by Idris Dawaiwala and Maharaj Saran Chellapilla of Hyderabad, in the second and third positions, respectively.

UIDAI Chairman Neelkanth Mishra unveiled the mascot and felicitated the winners at a UIDAI function in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

The introduction of 'Udai' signifies a further advancement in UIDAI’s continuous initiatives to enhance Aadhaar communication, making it more straightforward, inclusive, and relatable for more than a billion citizens of India, Mishra said.

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UIDAI Chief Executive Officer Bhuvnesh Kumar stated that by encouraging individuals to participate in the design and naming of this mascot through a nationwide open competition, UIDAI reaffirmed a fundamental principle of Aadhaar: that participation fosters trust and acceptance. The significant response illustrated the profound connection people have with Aadhaar as a public asset.

Vivek C Verma, UIDAI’s deputy director general, said that as the mascot kicks off its journey as a companion and a narrator, it will enable residents to connect with Aadhaar-related information conveniently.