Wadhwani & IIT Madras Begins a New Wave Initiation for Data Science & AI

Indian Institute of Technology Madras announced an endowment of Rs.110 Crore by Mr. Sunil Wadhwani towards setting up the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI. A distinguished alumnus of IIT Madras and the Co-founder of IGATE and Mastech Digital, Mr. Wadhwani's endowment is one of the largest gifts given by an alumnus to create a School at an educational institution in India.

The MoU was inked between Mr. Sunil Wadhwani and Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, in the presence of faculty, students, alumni, and researchers. With a vision to be among the top AI-focused schools worldwide, Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI aims to advise the Government and policymakers on Data Science and AI-related policy areas.

Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, extracted the significance of such schools and quoted, "With the advent of Industry 4.0, wherein AI and Data Science are the main movers, the need for a school for Data Science and AI is critical. IIT Madras has started this highly interdisciplinary school involving faculty from many departments joining hands to work on niche areas, including Responsible AI. I also express my deep gratitude to Mr. Sunil Wadhwani and his family for sponsoring this School with a generous donation through their foundation, which is close to Rs.110 crore."

Throughout the years, Mr. Sunil Wadhwani, through his family foundation, Wadhwani Impact Trust, has been supporting social welfare, affordable healthcare, and scientific research through the Wadhwani Institute of Sustainable Healthcare (WISH Foundation) and Wadhwani Institute of Artificial Intelligence (WIAI), respectively. The WISH Foundation has impacted over 30 million lives across 8 states in India by making quality healthcare accessible to economically challenged people.

Commenting on this deal, Mr. Sunil Wadhwani, mentioned, "AI and social impact are close to my heart, and it's my honour to be contributing to my alma mater. I see a strong need for a dedicated Data Science and AI school focusing on foundational and applied research in these areas. With the advancements in science and technology, India holds immense potential and can be a world leader in AI and allied sciences. As a proud alumnus, IIT Madras holds a special place in my life, and I am gratified to be associated with them in this manner."