IIT Roorkee establishes School of data science and artificial intelligence

With a vision to cater to the growing global demand for Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence experts, the Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee collaborated with the Mehta Family Foundation (MFF), USA, to establish the Mehta Family School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organizations was signed between Prof. Ajit K. Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Roorkee, and Rahul Mehta, Chief Executive Office, Mehta Family Foundation, USA.

Prof. K. VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India, Prof. Sandeep Verma, Secretary, Science and Engineering Research Board. Government of India, and Dr B.V.R. Mohan Reddy, Chairman of the Board of Governors, IIT Roorkee was also present during a virtual event held on September 27, 2021. The other signatories for this collaboration included Prof. Manoranjan Parida, Deputy Director; Prof. Manish Shrikhande, Dean of Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy; Prof. Narayana Prasad Padhy, Electrical Engineering, IIT Roorkee, and Prof. Ananth Grama, Purdue University, Indiana; Prof. Shankar Subramaniam and Prof. Rajesh K. Gupta from the University of California San Diego, and Mr. Bernie Luksich, Executive Director. MFF, USA.

Expressing his views on this international academic collaboration to address the need of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence experts, Prof. K. VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India, said, "Artificial Intelligence research and training is key to our future. AI technologies are critical for India and will have a significant social and economic impact in the coming years. This international academic collaboration between IIT Roorkee and MFF is a commendable effort to ensure that India continues on its innovation trajectory.

Under this collaboration, the new School will offer Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral Degree programs. The School will welcome its first cohort of Bachelor's degree students in September 2022. The objective of this School is to develop new and skilled manpower in the areas of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence along with an aim to empower existing manpower by offering focused Training and Certifications in these fields.

Speaking during the event, Prof. Sandeep Verma, Secretary, Science and Engineering Research Board, Government of India, said, "I am sure this collaboration between IIT Roorkee and Mehta Family Foundation will provide a strong theoretical as well as a practical foundation to the students. IIT Roorkee is pioneering in the field of AI and Data Science and this MoU with Mehta Family Foundation will provide an additional boost in creating resource centres for knowledge and information."

The School will be housed in a new dedicated building at the IIT Roorkee campus developed with the support provided by MFF. In addition to the infrastructure, renowned experts in the field of AI including Prof. Ananth Grama, Prof. Shankar Subramanium, and Prof. Rajesh Gupta, will actively participate in designing the curriculum, faculty recruitment, monitoring and suggesting new research ideas to the Indian students of this school. These experts will also facilitate MFF’s student scholarships and faculty exchange programs to make this initiative a success.

While addressing the participants, Rahul Mehta, Chief Executive Office, Mehta Family Foundation, USA, said, “AI-driven technologies are rapidly transforming our world. Academic collaborations like this one between the International faculty and IIT Roorkee will produce individuals poised to address such ongoing global challenges as climate change, resource sustainability, and security. We chose IIT Roorkee because of its rich history of academic excellence and its location. I want to thank Prof. Ajit Chaturvedi and everyone at IIT Roorkee and International experts Dr. Shankar Subramaniam, Dr. Rajesh Gupta, and Dr. Ananth Grama for their effort to create the school of Data Science and AI”, added Mehta.