Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan announced the establishment of three Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Artificial Intelligence (AI) focused on Healthcare, Agriculture, and Sustainable Cities. The announcement was made during an event in New Delhi, which was attended by senior government officials, academic leaders, and industry representatives. The initiative aims to strengthen India’s position in the global AI landscape by fostering cutting-edge research and development in these crucial sectors, said a statement.
The AI-CoEs will be led by prominent institutions—AIIMS and IIT Delhi for healthcare, IIT Ropar for agriculture, and IIT Kanpur for sustainable cities. These centres will collaborate with industry partners and startups to develop scalable solutions for national and global challenges.
Speaking at the event, Pradhan expressed his optimism about the potential impact of the AI-CoEs, stating, “These three AI-CoEs will emerge as temples of global public good. With the talent and zeal that Bharat is blessed with, in the times ahead, these CoEs will be a key element of global public policy and also emerge as solution providers of the world.” He highlighted the role of the centres in boosting India’s standing in AI development, while also creating opportunities for innovation, job creation, and socio-economic growth.
The minister also praised the efforts of the Apex Committee, led by Sridhar Vembu, co-chair of the committee and founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation, for their dedication in establishing the CoEs. He emphasised the alignment of the initiative with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of positioning India as a global AI hub, noting that these centres would accelerate the growth of the startup ecosystem and contribute to the creation of new economic opportunities.
Nationwide Impact and Collaborative Research
K. Sanjay Murthy, secretary, Department of Higher Education, stressed that these CoEs are not limited to individual institutions but are intended to serve the entire country. “Interdisciplinary research and collaboration are key to achieving optimum results,” Murthy said, stressing the importance of cooperation between academic and industry partners. He pointed to the role of competitive, challenge-based methods within educational institutions in fostering innovation and solving common problems.
Sridhar Vembu, in his address, emphasised the long-term benefits of the CoEs for India’s development, particularly in improving the health of villages and cities. He noted that the CoEs would play a key role in nurturing the country’s talent pool and generating opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship. “These CoEs will bootstrap numerous efforts, create companies, nurture talent, and generate opportunities for our talent pool,” Vembu stated, underscoring the potential for the centres to drive economic growth and technological advancement in the coming decades.
Government Commitment to AI and Vision of “Viksit Bharat”
The establishment of the AI-CoEs is a key part of the government’s broader vision of “Viksit Bharat,” or a developed India. The initiative aligns with the 2023-24 Budget, which outlined the creation of the centres under Para 60. The government has approved a total financial outlay of Rs. 990 crore for the project, covering the period from FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28.
The CoEs are designed to conduct interdisciplinary research, develop cutting-edge AI applications, and create scalable solutions for healthcare, agriculture, and urban development. The goal is to galvanise an effective AI ecosystem in the country, while also nurturing human resources and fostering innovation in these critical sectors.
Saumya Gupta, joint secretary in the Department of Higher Education, provided an overview of the development and implementation of the AI-CoEs during the event. A short film titled Make AI in India and Make AI work for India was also screened, highlighting the initiative’s dual focus on using AI to address domestic challenges while positioning India as a leader in global AI innovation.
Industry-Academia Collaboration
The Apex Committee overseeing the implementation of the CoEs is co-chaired by Sridhar Vembu and includes significant representation from the industry. Key members include Rajan Anandan, managing director of PeakXV Partners and Surge, Srikanth Nadhamuni, CEO of Khosla Labs, and Praveen Pankajakshan, head of Cropin AI Labs.
The AI-CoEs are expected to create a robust ecosystem for AI innovation in India, attracting startups, academic researchers, and industry leaders to collaborate on solutions for healthcare, agriculture, and urban sustainability.
