IIT Bhubaneswar and Rabisons Foundation ink MoU for AI & High-Performance Computing Research

Bhubaneswar: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar and Keonjhar-based Charitable Trust Rabisons Foundation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

This MoU aims to promote the use of Artificial Intelligence, High Performance Computing (HPC) and other Technologies in several areas that would benefit society and support in setting up of a Scholarship Fund. These activities will be executed through the AI and HPC Research Center (AHRC), IIT Bhubaneswar.

Those in attendance included the Trustee of the Rabisons Foundation and Donor Saroj Kumar Patnaik, BoG member Satyabrata Panda and Director Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar who facilitated the donor’s connection to AHRC, and AHRC Center-Director Prof. Ashwini Nanda. As per the MoU, Rabisons Foundation will provide a total funding contribution of Rs. 25 crores in the fiscal 2024-25 to AHRC.

Speaking on the occasion, Patnaik expressed his hope that the fund will help bring the benefits of technology research to the society and promote education and research for uplifting the underprivileged sections.

Panda said that this is only a starting point and wished that one day IIT Bhubaneswar will count among the best institutes of the world. Prof. Karmalkar mentioned that the institute is vigorously pursuing all areas, namely-generation, dissemination and application of knowledge, wealth generation and development of outstanding teachers. Prof. Nanda mentioned about the activities of AHRC.

The scope of work supported by Rabisons Foundation at AHRC would encompass:

1. Advancement in research & development, innovation, entrepreneurship, services and products involving the use of AI, HPC and other technologies. The target application areas will include healthcare, agriculture, assistive technologies, smart cities, green energy, art/culture/heritage, infrastructure, business, finance and any other areas of social or economic importance.

2. Setting up a permanent Fund namely ‘Rabisons Foundation–AHRC Scholarship’ the interest from which shall be used for granting scholarships to 8 to 10 economically challenged regular and meritorious students of IIT Bhubaneswar in various streams.

It is to be noted that AHRC is an interdisciplinary and collaborative research center established at IIT Bhubaneswar in May 2023, wherein researchers from various fields of engineering, computer science, medicine, agriculture, basic sciences, finance, economics and other areas have come together to find integrated and comprehensive solutions to problems faced by industry and society.