IIT Kanpur & Wadhwani Foundation to establish Wadhwani School of Advanced Artificial Intelligence & Intelligent Systems
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) has partnered with the
Wadhwani Foundation
to launch the Wadhwani School of Advanced Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Systems for advanced AI, cyber-security, robotics and AI policy, and nurturing interdisciplinary teams of faculty, researchers and students in state-of-the-art laboratories.
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This initiative, supported by the Wadhwani Foundation, aims at creating world-class education and research centres on campus and empowering a network of 50 partner hubs across India. It will also be a SuperHub, enabling and supporting 'research capacity building' through research and innovation programs and activities at research institutes in the
Wadhwani Innovation Network
,
IIT Kanpur
said in a statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the formal launch: 'Today, super hubs of artificial intelligence, Intelligent Systems, Bioscience, Biotechnology, Health and Medicine are being launched at IIT Kanpur and IIT Bombay. We have also inaugurated the Wadhwani Innovation Network and pledged to take research forward in collaboration with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation. I congratulate the Wadhwani Foundation, our IITs and all stakeholders for this effort.'
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The school will focus on frontier areas in technology including, a
Department of Intelligent Systems
, and five initial research centers in the areas of Advanced AI, Developing Intelligent Systems,
Cybersecurity
and Cybersecurity of Cyber-physical Systems, Robotics, and
AI Policy and Outreach
.
Professor Manindra Agrawal, Director, IIT Kanpur said: 'At IIT Kanpur we have a strong expertise in developing intelligent systems, AI and cybersecurity. This support of the Wadhwani Foundation will bolster our continuing efforts in creating an ecosystem at IIT Kanpur that not only pushes the frontiers of
AI and intelligent systems
research but also translates innovations into solutions that address real-world challenges from secure critical infrastructure to responsible AI policies.'
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Dr. Ajay Kela, President and CEO of the Wadhwani Foundation said: 'We believe that India's greatest asset is its young innovators. By combining IIT Kanpur's academic excellence with the Wadhwani Foundation's focus on scalable impact, we aim to create a truly global hub of AI innovation. Our investment will support not only the school's physical infrastructure, but also long-term programs, scholarships and entrepreneurial pathways for students. The WSAIS will function as a SuperHub in the Wadhwani Innovation Network.'
The School will initially launch with a multi-disciplinary Department of Intelligent Systems offering BTech, MTech, PhD and postdoctoral programs. A network of external hubs, including premier institutes and industry partners, will enable dissemination of best practices in research translation and commercialisation. The Wadhwani Innovation Network will enable these hubs to secure industry funding, form start-up ventures and drive regional innovation ecosystems.
Admissions for the first batch of Department of Intelligent Systems students is slated to begin in 2026. The School will also add new options for students across existing departments of IIT Kanpur.
Alongside the IITK-Wadhwani Foundation MoU, two other MoUs were signed at the event with IIT Bombay and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) joining hands with the Wadhwani Foundation to establish Superhubs in Biosciences & Health Tech and to co-fund high-impact translational research across AI, quantum technologies, biosciences, health tech and smart mobility.
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