The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) officially launched 'Udai' (उदय) as its new Aadhaar mascot on Thursday, January 8, 2026. This initiative is designed to simplify and enhance public understanding of various Aadhaar services for India's more than one billion residents. The mascot, described as a 'resident-facing communication companion,' aims to make information related to Aadhaar more relatable and user-friendly. 'Udai' will assist in communicating complex Aadhaar services, including updates, authentication, offline verification, selective sharing of information, adoption of new technologies, and responsible usage. The mascot and its name were chosen through a nationwide design and naming competition hosted on the MyGov platform, which received 875 entries from individuals across the country. Arun Gokul from Thrissur, Kerala, won the first prize for the mascot design, while Riya Jain from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, secured the first prize for suggesting the name 'Udai'. The mascot was unveiled by UIDAI Chairman Neelkanth Mishra at a function in Thiruvananthapuram, where the competition winners were also felicitated. UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar emphasized that the open competition reaffirmed Aadhaar's core principle that public participation builds trust and acceptance. This launch marks a significant step in UIDAI's ongoing efforts to make Aadhaar communication simpler, more inclusive, and accessible to a broader audience.