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IIT Delhi alumnus endows a new Chair in Artificial Intelligence to alma mater

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New Delhi
22 Nov 2018
Photo: Prof Soumitra Dutta, IIT Delhi

The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi is all set to get a new feather in its cap with the addition of a Chair in Artificial Intelligence. Named as the Soumitra Dutta Chair in Artificial Intelligence, the new Chair is envisaged to promote excellence and leadership in teaching, research and development in the field of Artificial Intelligence, and to facilitate broader interaction between the industry and academia.

Artificial intelligence (AI), also known as machine intelligence, is an area of science which aims to develop intelligent machines capable of processing information and producing outcomes as humans do. AI is now being used in many sectors including finance, healthcare, education, and transportation.

The new Chair is a contribution from notable alumnus Prof Soumitra Dutta, and Dr Lourdes Casanova, Director of Emerging Markets Institute at Cornell University. Prof Soumitra Dutta is the Founding Dean of Cornell SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University, New York. He is known for being the architect of the Global Innovation Index, which now has become the global standard among innovation indices. Prof Dutta and Dr  Casanova have committed Rs 1 crore for initiating the new Chair.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was recently signed between IIT Delhi and the two contributors. “IIT Delhi has an excellent relationship with its alumni and values this relationship. The institute is thankful to our distinguished alumnus Prof Soumitra Dutta and Dr Lourdes Casanova for instituting this Chair position at IIT Delhi”, said Prof V. Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi, appreciating this contribution.

“I am very grateful to the faculty of IIT Delhi for the valuable education they provided to me, and I am glad to contribute to the future academic excellence of IIT Delhi,” said Prof Dutta, after whom the Chair has been named.

Speaking about the MoU, Dr Lourdes Casanova added, “The Chair recognizes the important role of Artificial Intelligence in shaping the future of India and supports the aspirations of IIT Delhi for leadership in this important domain.” The generous contribution by the two academicians is an important advance in IIT Delhi’s efforts to strive for financial self-sustainability, said a press release from the institute.