The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) launched a new mascot named Udai on Thursday, January 8, 2026. The mascot is designed to make Aadhaar services easier to understand for the public. Udai was chosen from entries submitted in a national design and naming contest on the MyGov platform. According to an official statement, "The UIDAI today launched the Aadhaar mascot, a new resident-facing communication companion to simplify public understanding of Aadhaar services. The Aadhaar mascot named Udai will be helpful in making Aadhaar-related information more relatable and people-friendly." Udai aims to simplify communication on Aadhaar updates, authentication, offline verification, selective data sharing, new technology use, and responsible usage. UIDAI Chairman Neelkanth Mishra unveiled the mascot and honored the winners in a ceremony held in Thiruvananthapuram. Mishra said the mascot launch is "another step in UIDAI's ongoing efforts to make Aadhaar communication simpler, more inclusive, and more relatable for over a billion residents of India." UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar said inviting the public to design and name the mascot through an open contest "reaffirmed a core principle of Aadhaar -- participation builds trust and acceptance." The competition attracted 875 entries from across India, including students, professionals, and designers. The first prize for the mascot design went to Arun Gokul from Thrissur, Kerala. Second and third prizes were awarded to Idris Dawaiwala of Pune, Maharashtra, and Krishna Sharma of Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, respectively. For the mascot name contest, Riya Jain from Bhopal won first prize. Idris Dawaiwala of Pune and Maharaj Saran Chellapilla of Hyderabad secured second and third positions. The UIDAI aims to use Udai as a friendly face to help citizens better understand and engage with Aadhaar services.