A designer from Thrissur, Kerala, has won the top prize in the national competition to create the mascot for India’s Aadhaar programme.

Arun Gokul’s design was selected by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) as the first-prize winner among 875 entries submitted by students, professionals and designers from across the country. His creation has now become Udai, the official resident-facing mascot intended to make Aadhaar services more relatable and user-friendly.

The mascot, unveiled today in Thiruvananthapuram by UIDAI Chairman Neelkanth Mishra, will serve as a guide to help citizens understand key Aadhaar services, including authentication, updates, offline verification, selective sharing of information, responsible usage and technology upgrades.

“By inviting the public to design and name the mascot, UIDAI reaffirmed a core principle of Aadhaar: participation builds trust and acceptance,” said UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar. “The overwhelming response shows how deeply people connect with Aadhaar as a public good.”

In the competition’s naming category, Riya Jain from Bhopal won first prize, with Idris Dawaiwala of Pune and Maharaj Saran Chellapilla of Hyderabad taking second and third positions. Dawaiwala and Krishna Sharma of Ghazipur won second and third prizes in the mascot design contest.

UIDAI Deputy Director General Vivek C. Verma said Udai would act as both a companion and narrator for residents, making it easier for the public to access and understand Aadhaar-related information.