'Why are you ignoring Bengaluru?': Ex-Infosys CFO questions Education Minister over AI Center of Excellence
On Tuesday, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched three AI centers: one at IIT-Kanpur, one at IIT-Ropar, and a joint center at IIT-Delhi and AIIMS.
- Oct 16, 2024,
- Updated Oct 16, 2024 9:21 PM IST
A day after the launch of AI Center of Excellence at 3 prominent institutions, former Infosys Chief Financial Officer Mohandas Pai on Wednesday asked Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan why no centre was launched in Bengaluru.
On Tuesday, Pradhan launched three AI centers: one at IIT-Kanpur, one at IIT-Ropar, and a joint center at IIT-Delhi and AIIMS.
Tagging Pradhan and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Pai said why no centre was launched in Bengaluru, the technology capital of India. He also suggested that the Centre was ignoring Bengaluru. "Why are you and @AshwiniVaishnaw ignoring the South in IT, ignoring Bengaluru?" he asked. Are we not part of Bharat too? Bengaluru voted for NDA but all we get is step-motherly treatment," he said in a tweet.
The former CFO said that citizens in Karnataka are "very angry and upset at you folks repeatedly ignoring us in the South!" "Are we children of a lesser God here?" He sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention. "Give us our share too."
Pai also suggested that the state government was also ignoring Bengaluru as the people voted for the NDA in the Lok Sabha polls. "For voting NDA our state govt too is ignoring us! Not investing enough in Bengaluru!"
The three AI Centres of Excellence (CoE) will focus on healthcare, agriculture, and sustainable cities. These centers will engage in interdisciplinary research, develop innovative applications, and create scalable solutions in their respective fields. The initiative aims to foster a robust AI ecosystem and cultivate skilled human resources in these critical areas.
This move aligns with the vision of "Make AI in India and Make AI work for India," as outlined in the Budget 2023-24. The Centre has allocated a total financial outlay of Rs 990 crore for the CoEs, which will span from FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28.
To ensure effective implementation, an apex committee comprised of industry leaders has been formed, co-chaired by Dr. Sridhar Vembu, Founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation. This committee will oversee the progress of these initiatives, aiming to leverage AI for national development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the launch, calling it a "very important stride in India's effort to become a leader in tech, innovation and AI". "I am confident these COEs will benefit our Yuva Shakti and contribute towards making India a hub for futuristic growth," he added.
A day after the launch of AI Center of Excellence at 3 prominent institutions, former Infosys Chief Financial Officer Mohandas Pai on Wednesday asked Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan why no centre was launched in Bengaluru.
On Tuesday, Pradhan launched three AI centers: one at IIT-Kanpur, one at IIT-Ropar, and a joint center at IIT-Delhi and AIIMS.
Tagging Pradhan and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Pai said why no centre was launched in Bengaluru, the technology capital of India. He also suggested that the Centre was ignoring Bengaluru. "Why are you and @AshwiniVaishnaw ignoring the South in IT, ignoring Bengaluru?" he asked. Are we not part of Bharat too? Bengaluru voted for NDA but all we get is step-motherly treatment," he said in a tweet.
The former CFO said that citizens in Karnataka are "very angry and upset at you folks repeatedly ignoring us in the South!" "Are we children of a lesser God here?" He sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention. "Give us our share too."
Pai also suggested that the state government was also ignoring Bengaluru as the people voted for the NDA in the Lok Sabha polls. "For voting NDA our state govt too is ignoring us! Not investing enough in Bengaluru!"
The three AI Centres of Excellence (CoE) will focus on healthcare, agriculture, and sustainable cities. These centers will engage in interdisciplinary research, develop innovative applications, and create scalable solutions in their respective fields. The initiative aims to foster a robust AI ecosystem and cultivate skilled human resources in these critical areas.
This move aligns with the vision of "Make AI in India and Make AI work for India," as outlined in the Budget 2023-24. The Centre has allocated a total financial outlay of Rs 990 crore for the CoEs, which will span from FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28.
To ensure effective implementation, an apex committee comprised of industry leaders has been formed, co-chaired by Dr. Sridhar Vembu, Founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation. This committee will oversee the progress of these initiatives, aiming to leverage AI for national development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the launch, calling it a "very important stride in India's effort to become a leader in tech, innovation and AI". "I am confident these COEs will benefit our Yuva Shakti and contribute towards making India a hub for futuristic growth," he added.