Speaking on the initiative, Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, said, “Project NAVYA reflects our commitment to moving beyond conventional skilling towards holistic empowerment of young girls. By integrating life skills, financial literacy, workplace safety and workplace productivity into the learning journey, we are equipping adolescent girls with the confidence and capabilities required to succeed. This initiative strengthens the objective of creating dignified employment opportunities for women and their meaningful participation in the economy.”

As part of this partnership, a common module for holistic development has been introduced for Adolescent Girls (AGs) enrolled under Project NAVYA. The modules, developed by the Wadhwani Foundation, are being provided free of cost to all NAVYA beneficiaries and are designed to support personal growth, work readiness, self-employment potential and meaningful community participation.

The holistic curriculum addresses key dimensions such as workplace safety, financial literacy, necessary life and employability skills, recognizing these as essential enablers for long-term employability and resilience. The 10-hour online programme includes structured learning on interpersonal skills, impactful writing skills, financial literacy, workplace safety and the use of productivity tools required in modern work environments.

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Bengaluru, May 01, 2025: The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) took a historic step toward strengthening India’s leadership in cutting-edge research and innovation with the launch of 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. This landmark initiative, supported by the Wadhwani Foundation, promises to create world-class education and research centres on campus and empower 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.

The formal launch at a ceremony held in Delhi was graced by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji. Reflecting on India’s progress in technology and research, the Prime Minister said, “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.”

In his remarks, the Prime Minister also highlighted the government’s flagship PM Vidya Lakshmi Yojana, under which over 7,000 internship cells have been set up across institutes to give hands-on experience to students. He underscored the importance of converting ideas into prototypes and products quickly to shorten the journey from lab to market so that research outcomes reach people faster, motivating researchers and adding value to society. He called upon industry leaders to mentor young talent and invest in emerging fields such as AI, quantum computing, health tech and synthetic biology.

Professor Manindra Agrawal, Director of IIT Kanpur, and Dr. Ajay Kela, President and CEO of the Wadhwani Foundation, officially exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise the collaboration. 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.”

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 commercialization. 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.

IIT Kanpur has long been recognized for breakthroughs in computer science, engineering and basic sciences. This new partnership marks a significant expansion of its mission to deliver technology solutions with real-world impact. The Wadhwani School will serve as a catalyst for interdisciplinary projects, bringing together experts in algorithms, hardware, policy, life sciences and social sciences.

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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