Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 31 Jul: “AI-for-All” initiative was launched today by Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) for the higher education institutions of Uttarakhand. This initiative will be implemented and executed by Doon University through its collaboration with IIT Madras, SWAYAM Plus and IITM-Pravartak Technologies Foundation.
The inaugural ceremony was held at the Lok Bhawan, here. Padma Shri awardee Prof V Kamakoti (Director, IIT Madras) and Prof Surekha Dangwal (Vice Chancellor, Doon University) signed and exchanged the MoU for establishing the collaboration.
The Governor stated that, in the initial phase of this joint initiative, different courses including mainly (i) AI/ML using Python, (ii) AI in Physics, (iii) AI in Accounting, (iv) AI in Chemistry, (iv) AI for Educators and (v) AI for Aspiring Engineers, will be offered for the students of universities and colleges of Uttarakhand through SWAYAM Plus and IIT M-Pravartak Technologies Foundation. The Governor emphasised that Uttarakhand is a Himalayan State and shares its border with Nepal and China. There are 11 State Government Universities in Uttarakhand which include Doon University; Uttarakhand Technical University; GB Pant University of Agriculture & Technology; Kumaun University; Sri Dev Suman Uttarakhand University; VCSG Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry; Soban Singh Jeena University, Uttarakhand Sanskrit University, Uttarakhand Open University, Uttarakhand Ayurved University, HNB Uttarakhand Medical Education University. In addition, there are more than 100 government colleges, more than 30 private universities, 1 central university, 1 NIT, 1 AIIMS, 1 IIM, 1 IIT, 1 DST institute, 1 CSIR institute, 3 DRDO Labs, and some other central government funded institutions. The students of all such institutions may be benefitted by SWAYAM Plus and IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation though collaboration with Doon University.
Prof V Kamakoti (Director of IIT Madras) stated that “SWAYAM Plus” is an initiative of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. This initiative is being implemented by IIT Madras across the nation. It has been designed to provide high-quality, employment-oriented learning opportunities to learners across India.
Prof Surekha Dangwal said that Prof Kamakoti is popular in the Academic Sector as well as in the Parliament of India. He does not hold a passport. His every second is devoted to thinking about the country’s growth and development. IIT Madras is continuously holding Rank No. 1 in NIRF for last many years.
Prof R Sarathi (National Convenor of SWAYAM Plus) told that Doon University will be the Nodal Partner of IIT Madras for the state of Uttarakhand. He said that the students of Uttarakhand will be supported through SWAYAM Plus as well as Pravartak Technology Foundation. This foundation is a section 8 company housing the Technology Innovation Hub on Sensors, Networking, Actuators, and Control Systems (SNACS).
Prof Tripta Thakur (Vice Chancellor, Uttarakhand Technical University), Prof Ambrish Kumar Mahajan (Vice Chancellor, Sri Dev Suman Uttarakhand University), Dr Harender Singh Bisht (Director, CSIR-IIP Dehradun), Dakshinamoorthy V (Head, PMU, SWAYAM Plus), and Ramu Govindan (Chief Human Resource Officer in IIT Madras-Pravartak Technology Foundation) were present as the dignitaries in the ceremony. Durgesh Dimri (Registrar, Doon University), and Deans and Heads of the different schools and departments of Doon University were also present.
