Ahmedabad: IIM Ahmedabad (IIM-A) received an endowment of Rs 100 crore from Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon, a 1975-batch alumna, and her husband, Ranjan Tandon, to establish the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence at the B-school. An MoU was exchanged in New Delhi on Thursday in the presence of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Indian ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra, who joined virtually.Pradhan later tweeted, ‘India’s AI leadership will not only be shaped by technology but by the strength of our institutions and human capital… Confident that the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence will work towards boosting India’s AI capabilities, democratising AI, creating jobs from India for the global AI economy and harnessing AI for creating a global impact in improving lives and advancing social good.‘IIM-A officials said that, as a pioneering school of AI housed within a management institute in India, the school will operate at the intersection of technology, management, and public impact. With a strong global outlook, the school will focus on addressing India’s unique and complex challenges through the responsible and effective application of AI, they added.“The school aims to shape how artificial intelligence is developed, deployed, and governed to create enduring business and societal value,” said an official. “The school will bring together world-class faculty, industry leaders, policymakers, and global partners to redefine the frontiers of AI research and application. Its research agenda will be application-led and case-based, rooted in real-world managerial, institutional, and societal challenges.““It is an honour and privilege to be able to contribute to my beloved alma mater, IIMA, in such a pivotal area — one that I believe will redefine business and society in the years to come. I hope the school will allow us to train a new generation of far-thinking visionary leaders and help India address some of the most significant needs using the best technology and minds,” said Krishnamurthy Tandon, former partner of McKinsey and founder of Tandon Capital Associates.A Grammy Award-winning musician, she is a trustee of New York University, while her husband, Ranjan Tandon, is an IIT Kanpur and Harvard Business School alumnus. The Tandons established faculty chairs and programmes at Harvard Business School, Yale University, and the Berklee College of Music.
