IAS officer Prem Krishnan S., a 2017 batch officer of the Kerala cadre and the current District Collector of Pathanamthitta, is earning widespread recognition for his innovative approach in the Sabarimala Pilgrimage. Sabarimala, one of India’s most renowned pilgrimage sites dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, attracts millions of devotees annually.

Recognizing the logistics and safety challenges due to massive crowds and complex terrain, his vision aims to revolutionize the pilgrimage experience through the use of technology, ensuring efficient on-ground management and improved communication systems. “We want to provide a safe and inclusive pilgrimage experience for the millions of devotees who visit year after year, leveraging the power of technology,” he said.

Under Krishnan’s leadership, a WhatsApp-based chatbot named Swami is developed. Aptly named to resonate with the spiritual ethos of Sabarimala, where every devotee is respectfully addressed as “Swami,” the Multilingual chatbot offers real-time updates on essential services, temple timings, crowd status, weather conditions, food availability, and service rates. “It is one of a kind where we are interfacing technology with pilgrimage,” he added.

The chatbot boasts features such as information on temple services like opening times, accommodation, bookings and more. It also provides inquiry services like helpline numbers, food rate charts, bus schedules, weather updates and emergency assistance.

Swami goes beyond just providing information It plays a crucial role in ensuring safety and swift assistance during emergencies. For instance, when a KSRTC bus traveling to Pamba broke down, a passenger reported both the breakdown and another passenger’s epileptic seizure through the chatbot. The Nilakkal EOC responded promptly, transporting the patient to the  Health Center for stabilization.

In another instance, a missing pilgrim was located through a message sent via the chatbot. “The pilgrim had fallen, sustained injuries, and lost contact due to network issues. The chatbot ensured the case was resolved quickly” Krishnan shared.

Remarkably, since its launch,Swami has gained 1 lakh subscribers in just three weeks and successfully managed over 2000 emergencies with an impressive average response time of five minutes.