Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to Launch Three AI Centres of Excellence on Healthcare, Agriculture, and Sustainable Cities
Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, is set to announce the establishment of three Centres of Excellence (CoE) focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the fields of Healthcare, Agriculture, and Sustainable Cities on October 15, 2024. The announcement will take place in New Delhi as part of the government’s broader vision for a “Viksit Bharat.”
These AI CoEs will be spearheaded by leading educational institutions in collaboration with industry partners and startups. Their primary objectives will include conducting interdisciplinary research, developing innovative applications, and creating scalable solutions in these critical areas. This initiative aims to foster a robust AI ecosystem and enhance the development of quality human resources in India.
The establishment of the AI Centres of Excellence aligns with the government’s vision to “Make AI in India and Make AI work for India,” as announced in the Budget for 2023-24. The initiative has received approval for a financial outlay of ₹990 crores over the period from FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28.
An Apex Committee comprising industry leaders will oversee the implementation of this initiative, co-chaired by Dr. Sridhar Vembu, Founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation. The event will also be attended by Shri K. Sanjay Murthy, Secretary of Higher Education, along with directors of IITs, heads of higher educational institutions, industry leaders, startup founders, and senior officials from various ministries of the Government of India.