
The programme is designed to boost academic research in using applied AI to solve environmental and sustainability challenges.
Professor Hariprasad Kodamana from IIT-Delhi’s Department of Chemical Engineering has been named the inaugural chairholder.
“This endeavour presents a significant opportunity to advance research and development in applied AI and sustainability as it leverages the existing knowledge base, fostering academic excellence and ground-breaking research in this domain,” said Preeti Ranjan Panda, dean of corporate relations at IIT-Delhi. “By driving problem-solving and promoting best practices, the impact will extend beyond academia to the broader engineering community,” Panda said.
R Systems chief executive Nitesh Bansal said the programme aligns with the company’s strategy to foster stronger industry-academia linkages. “This Chair reinforces our commitment by fostering greater innovation, driving impactful research, and setting new benchmarks in the field,” he said. “Our partnership with a distinguished institution like IIT-Delhi will undoubtedly accelerate these efforts.”
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The endowed chair is part of a growing trend of private-sector support for research roles at India’s top institutes, particularly in emerging fields like applied AI and sustainability.