IIM Ahmedabad to Set Up AI School with ₹100 Cr Endowment Ahead of IndiaAI Summit

Envisioned as a hub for business-focused and translational AI, the School will bring together world-class faculty, industry leaders, policymakers and global partners.

The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) on Wednesday exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ms. Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon and Mr. Ranjan Tandon for the establishment of the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence at the institute, marking a major boost to India’s AI education and research ecosystem.

The MoU was exchanged in the presence of Union Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi, with Ambassador Shri Vinay Kwatra joining virtually from the United States. The School will be established through a ₹100 crore endowment by Ms. Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon—an alumna of IIMA’s PGP Class of 1975—and Mr. Ranjan Tandon.

Concrete step towards India’s AI leadership

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said the MoU, signed in the lead-up to the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, reflects the concrete actions India is taking under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to emerge as a global AI superpower.

“AI will be an enabler for powering people, progress and the planet. India’s AI leadership will be shaped not just by technology, but by the strength of our institutions and human capital,” the Minister said, while appreciating the Tandon family’s philanthropic contribution as a powerful example of alumni giving back to their alma mater.

He added that the new School would play a key role in boosting India’s AI capabilities, democratising access to AI, creating jobs for the global AI economy, and harnessing artificial intelligence to improve lives and advance social good.

AI at the intersection of technology, management and public impact

As a pioneering School of Artificial Intelligence housed within a management institute, the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of AI will operate at the intersection of technology, management and public policy, with a strong global outlook and a focus on addressing India’s complex and large-scale challenges through responsible AI deployment.

Anchored in IIMA’s legacy of leadership, governance and institution-building, the School aims to shape how AI is developed, deployed and governed to create lasting business and societal value, while advancing the future of management education in an AI-driven world.

From research to real-world solutions

Envisioned as a hub for business-focused and translational AI, the School will bring together world-class faculty, industry leaders, policymakers and global partners. Its research agenda will be application-led and case-based, translating cutting-edge AI research into deployable solutions, decision-making tools, frameworks and scalable systems for industry, government and society.

Senior officials present at the event included Dr Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education; Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIM Ahmedabad; Shri Purnendu Banerjee, Joint Secretary, Higher Education; and other senior ministry officials.