Chennai, NFAPost: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT- M) has received an endowment of Rs 110 crore from Sunil Wadhwani towards setting up the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI. The school aims to rise to the top 20 AI-focused schools worldwide, focusing on responsible AI and advising the government on policy-making and societal impact
A distinguished alumnus of IIT-M and the co-founder of IGATE and Mastech Digital, Wadhwani’s gift is one of the largest gifts given by an alumnus to create a School at an educational institution in India.
The MoU was signed on Tuesday between Sunil Wadhwani and Prof V. Kamakoti, director, IIT Madras, in the presence of faculty, students, alumni, and researchers. With a vision to be among the top AI-focused schools worldwide, Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI also aims to advise the government and policymakers on Data Science and AI-related policy areas.
IIT-M Director Prof V Kamakoti said with the advent of Industry 4.0, wherein AI and Data Science are the main movers, the need for a school for Data Science and AI is critical.
“IIT Madras has started this highly interdisciplinary school involving faculty from many departments joining hands to work on niche areas, including Responsible AI. I also express my deep gratitude to Mr. Sunil Wadhwani and his family for sponsoring this School with a generous donation through their foundation, which is close to Rs. 110 crore,” said IIT-M Director Prof V Kamakoti.
Over the years, Sunil Wadhwani, through his family foundation, Wadhwani Impact Trust, has been supporting social welfare, affordable healthcare, and scientific research through the Wadhwani Institute of Sustainable Healthcare (WISH Foundation) and Wadhwani Institute of Artificial Intelligence (WIAI), respectively.
The WISH Foundation has impacted over 30 million lives across 8 states in India by making quality healthcare accessible to economically challenged people. As an independent non-profit institute, WIAI develops AI-based solutions for underserved communities in developing countries. Wadhwani was named in TIME100 AI list of 2023, a list of the 100 most influential people in Artificial Intelligence across the globe.
Sunil Wadhwani said AI and social impact are close to his heart, and it’s an honour to be contributing to his alma mater.
“I see a strong need for a dedicated Data Science and AI school focusing on foundational and applied research in these areas. With the advancements in science and technology, India holds immense potential and can be a world leader in AI and allied sciences. As a proud alumnus, IIT Madras holds a special place in my life, and I am gratified to be associated with them in this manner,” said Sunil Wadhwani.
Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI will offer the following courses: BTech programme in AI and Data Analytics, MTech programme in Data Science and AI,
MS & PhD Programmes in Data Science and AI, joint MSc in Data Science and AI with the University of Birmingham, UK, International Interdisciplinary Masters Programme in Data Science, Interdisciplinary Dual Degree in Data Science and Web-enabled MTech in Industrial AI.
Admissions will commence in July 2024. The school will also run a Joint MSc in Data Science and AI with the University of Birmingham, UK, admitting 30 students and an International Interdisciplinary Masters Programme.
Prof Mahesh Panchagnula, dean (alumni and corporate relations), IIT-M , said the IIT is grateful to Wadhwani who has been a long-time supporter of IIT Madras.
“Responsible AI deployed in India is ready for use in the world at large. As a result, this School will make its mark on the world stage soon,” said Prof Mahesh Panchagnula.
Laying out the vision, Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI founding head Prof B Ravindran said Data Science and AI are inherently interdisciplinary fields.
“The Wadhwani School will enable close collaboration between domain experts and AI researchers to develop solutions that integrate AI with existing approaches. Our various degree programs will train students in core AI techniques, data-driven problem solving, and interdisciplinary design adhering to principles of responsible AI,” said Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI founding head Prof B Ravindran.
He also said there will be programmes that cater to industry professionals and an international student body.
Highlighting the importance of a strong working relationship between premier institutions and their alumni and corporate partners, IIT Madras Office of Institutional Advancement CEO Kaviraj Nair said alumni giving to research endowments is like planting seeds of knowledge that bear fruit for the entire world.
“Through such support, our alumni not only honour our past but also invest in our future. Their contributions fuel the pursuit of excellence, transforming our IIT Madras into a beacon of innovation and a catalyst for positive change,” said IIT Madras Office of Institutional Advancement CEO Kaviraj Nair.
Extensive interdisciplinary research efforts will place IIT Madras at the forefront of Data Science and AI. This new School will integrate core and fundamental research with application research.
The applied research areas of this school will be on healthcare, agriculture, smart cities and transportation, financial analytics, manufacturing, energy and environment, defence, education and systems biology.
