Dharmendra Pradhan to Launch Three AI CoE for Healthcare, Agriculture, and Sustainable Cities

New Delhi, Oct 14 (KNN) In a major stride towards building a future-ready India, Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, will announce the launch of three Centres of Excellence (CoE) for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in New Delhi today.

These CoEs, dedicated to the fields of Healthcare, Agriculture, and Sustainable Cities, aim to foster innovation and promote interdisciplinary research to create practical, scalable solutions.

The AI Centres are part of the government’s ambitious "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India) vision, which aims to position India as a global hub for AI development.

Each CoE will be led by top educational institutions in collaboration with industry partners and start-ups, forming a strong research ecosystem to address national challenges in these priority sectors. The initiative also aims to nurture skilled talent to meet the growing demand for AI expertise.

This announcement aligns with the government’s "Make AI in India and Make AI Work for India" strategy, which was highlighted in Para 60 of the 2023-24 Union Budget.

As per the plan, the government has allocated Rs 990 crore to fund these AI Centres over five years, from FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28.

These investments will drive innovation and help build AI solutions specifically tailored to India's healthcare, agriculture, and urban development challenges.

An Apex Committee, comprising leading figures from the industry, will oversee the implementation of this initiative. The committee is co-chaired by Sridhar Vembu, Founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation, bringing industry expertise to the forefront of policy execution.

The launch event will be attended by K. Sanjay Murthy, Secretary (Higher Education), alongside directors from IITs and other higher educational institutions, industry leaders, start-up founders, and senior officials from various ministries.

Their presence reflects the collaborative spirit behind the project, bringing together academia, government, and the private sector to leverage AI's potential for national development.

This visionary initiative seeks to galvanise India's AI ecosystem, driving advancements in precision healthcare, smart agriculture, and sustainable urban solutions, marking a significant milestone in India’s journey towards technological self-reliance.

(KNN Bureau)