The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has partnered with Walmart Global Tech under a four-year initiative worth approximately Rs 9 crore to strengthen research, education and talent development in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and data science.
The collaboration, announced on November 6, will be implemented through IIT Delhi’s Yardi School of Artificial Intelligence. Around Rs 2.3 crore has been earmarked for the current financial year, according to the institute.
The initiative will support research projects focused on applications relevant to industry and society, provide dedicated fellowships for student researchers and strengthen the school’s research infrastructure. It will also fund faculty development and teacher training programmes aimed at extending AI education beyond the IIT Delhi campus.
Learning opportunities will also be made available to industry professionals and learners from underrepresented communities.
“Artificial Intelligence is transforming research, industry and society at an unprecedented pace. Partnerships with industry provide an important avenue to strengthen the ecosystem for advanced research, innovation and technology-based entrepreneurship,” said Professor Jayant Jain, Dean, Corporate Relations, IIT Delhi.
“We are pleased to partner with Walmart Global Tech and look forward to creating meaningful and lasting impact through this collaboration,” he added.
Balu Chaturvedula, Senior Vice-President and Country Head, Walmart Global Tech, said India had the talent and ambition to play a defining role in the AI era. He said the partnership would help develop research, engineering and education capabilities to support that ambition.
“By supporting researchers, expanding pathways for students and strengthening the educators who multiply this capability over time, we hope to help build an AI ecosystem that is rigorous in its foundations, broad in its reach and meaningful in the problems it can solve,” Chaturvedula said.
IIT Delhi will oversee the implementation of the initiative over the next four years, with periodic reviews to assess its progress and outcomes. The institute expects the fellowships, faculty development and teacher training components to contribute to a pipeline of AI researchers and educators working across academic institutions, laboratories and industry.
Professor Chetan Arora, Head of the Yardi School of Artificial Intelligence at IIT Delhi, said the collaboration would strengthen the school's research infrastructure and its ability to train future AI researchers and innovators.
Established in 2020, the Yardi School of Artificial Intelligence brings together faculty members from different disciplines to work on AI research and its applications. Its research areas include healthcare, robotics, materials science, Industry 4.0, climate and transportation.
The partnership comes amid growing investment by technology companies and academic institutions in AI research and specialised training. By including teacher training and opportunities for learners outside the institute, the initiative also seeks to extend AI education to a wider group of students and professionals.