IIT Madras Secures Rs. 110 Crore Endowment for Wadhwani School of Data Science & AI

The newly established school aims to concentrate on Responsible AI and provide strategic insights to the Government on policy formulation and societal impact.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has received a transformative endowment of Rs. 110 Crore from Mr. Sunil Wadhwani, a distinguished alumnus and Co-founder of IGATE and Mastech Digital. The substantial gift is designated to establish the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI, with the goal of positioning the institution among the top 20 AI-focused schools globally.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Sunil Wadhwani and Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, signifies one of the largest contributions by an alumnus to establish a school at an educational institution in India. The newly established school aims to concentrate on Responsible AI and provide strategic insights to the Government on policy formulation and societal impact.

Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, emphasized the critical importance of a dedicated Data Science and AI school, especially in the era of Industry 4.0. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to Sunil Wadhwani for the generous donation, which stands close to Rs. 110 crore.

Sunil Wadhwani, through his family foundation, Wadhwani Impact Trust, has a distinguished record of supporting social welfare and scientific research. The Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI will offer a comprehensive range of programs, including BTech, MTech, MS & PhD, Joint MSc with the University of Birmingham, and an International Interdisciplinary Masters Programme. Admissions are set to commence in July 2024.

Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), IIT Madras, expressed gratitude to Mr. Wadhwani for his longstanding support and noted the potential global impact of the School's focus on Responsible AI. Prof. B. Ravindran, Founding Head of the Wadhwani School, highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of the field and the School's vision to collaborate closely with industry professionals.

The School's applied research areas will span healthcare, agriculture, smart cities, financial analytics, manufacturing, energy, environment, defense, education, and systems biology. The endowment not only exemplifies the strong bond between IIT Madras and its alumni but also underscores the potential for global leadership in the field of AI and data science.

This significant investment is expected to place IIT Madras at the forefront of pioneering research in Data Science and AI, contributing to advancements in these critical fields.