PRESS RELEASE
*IIT Kharagpur Launches Jyoti Chatterjee School of Digital Engineering, Applied AI & ML*
*India’s First Horizontal, Research-Driven Applied AI Powerhouse*
Kharagpur | March 3, 2026 The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur today announced the launch of the Jyoti Chatterjee School of Digital Engineering, Applied Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning — a transformative, research-centric initiative designed to redefine how AI innovation is conceived, translated, and deployed in India.
Envisioned as a fully horizontal, applied AI engine across all academic and industrial verticals, the School will function under the Office of the Dean (Research & Development) — marking a decisive shift from traditional degree-oriented structures toward a high-impact, translational deep-tech model with industry-academia collaboration at its core. This pioneering initiative is supported by a landmark philanthropic commitment from Dr. Jyoti Chatterjee (B.Tech 1977, IIT Kharagpur), who has pledged up to USD 5 million over five years through the IITKGP Foundation USA.
*A New National Architecture for Applied AI*
*Unlike conventional AI departments, the School is designed as an innovation accelerator embedded within a live multidisciplinary ecosystem, integrating:*
· Digital Engineering & Next-Generation Computing
· Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning & Deep Neural Systems
· IoT, Smart Sensing & Cyber-Physical Systems
· Robotics & Autonomous Intelligence
· Large-Scale Data Engineering & Cloud Infrastructure
· Digital Health & Biomedical AI
For instance, in the healthcare domain, the deep institutional integration spanning the School of Medical Science & Technology (SMST) and the Common Research and Technology Development Hub (CRTDH) on Healthcare, and anchored to the clinical ecosystem of the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Super Specialty Hospital, the School uniquely enables real-world validation of AI-driven systems, from laboratory prototypes to field deployment.
*A National AI Deployment Engine*
*Operating directly under the Dean (R&D), the School will:*
· Establish industry-hosted laboratories and AI testbeds
· Enable co-development platforms with industry and government
· Support pilot-scale validation and translational research clusters
· Accelerate technology maturation and commercialization
· Drive globally aligned workforce development initiatives
This structural positioning ensures agility, interdisciplinary convergence, and outcome-driven innovation — making it one of the first AI schools in India, built explicitly for deployment, scalability, and alignment with national missions.
*A Vision for Responsible and Sovereign AI*
The School aims to position IIT Kharagpur as a lighthouse institution for responsible, ethical, and sovereign AI, aligned with India’s technological self-reliance mission. By integrating high-performance computing infrastructure with cross-domain expertise, it will foster indigenous AI capabilities capable of addressing challenges across healthcare, manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, smart systems, and beyond.
*Leadership Statement*
*The Director of IIT Kharagpur Prof Suman Chakraborty stated:* “This is a unique horizontal, research-driven applied intelligence architecture embedded within the framework of our end-to-end R&D ecosystem— designed to move from code to clinic, prototype to product, and research to national capability. The Jyoti Chatterjee School will serve as a convergence platform where industry, academia, and government co-create sovereign AI solutions for India and the world.”
*A Sustainable Innovation Model*
*The philanthropic framework includes an initial USD 1 million commitment upon signing of the MoU, followed by structured annual gap funding up to a cumulative cap of USD 5 million over five years. Long-term sustainability will be strengthened through:*
· Endowments
· Sponsored research
· Industry partnerships
· Executive education programs
· Translational and innovation-driven revenue streams
With this launch, IIT Kharagpur takes a decisive step toward building a nationally integrated, industry-focused, translational AI ecosystem that bridges research excellence with real-world impact — setting a new benchmark for digital engineering and applied artificial intelligence in India, with Industry-Academia and lab-to-Market Ecosystem integrated within the School’s framework.
*Issued by:*
Pratik Dama
Public Relations Officer
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur Kharagpur-721302, India
pro@iitkgp.ac.in Mob-9975654202
