The Funding is Backed by Industry Titans Including Bharti Foundation, Axis Bank, Havells, HT Parekh Foundation, Indorama Ventures, Binny Bansal and Hitesh Oberoi
Mohali, February 15, 2025 – On its Foundation Day, Plaksha University, a technology university reimagining higher education and research in India, announced the launch of its pioneering School of AI & Computer Science, marking a significant step towards positioning India as a global hub for research and education in emerging tech. This announcement comes on the back of ₹1500 crore fundraise milestone (from inception till date) through collective philanthropy. Some of India’s most influential business leaders and entrepreneurs including Rakesh Bharti Mittal (Bharti Foundation), Harish and Bina Shah Foundation, Axis Bank, Havells, Deepak Parekh (HT Parekh Foundation), Binny Bansal (Ex-Flipkart), Suchitra Lohia (Indorama Ventures), Hitesh Oberoi and Ambarish Raghuvanshi (Info Edge), Raamdeo Agrawal and Motilal Oswal (Motilal Oswal Foundation), Ashish R. Kacholia, Gagan Hasteer (Netflix) and Varna Puvvada, Mukul Agrawal (Param Capital), Sunny Singh (Round Glass), Madhusudan Kela (MK Ventures) and Jai Rajpal (Crescent Asset Management), Neeraj Aggarwal (BCG), SK Jain (RatnaTraya Capital).
This unprecedented collaboration reflects a shared vision among these industry titans to redefine the future of technology education in India. Their collective commitment highlights the crucial role of private philanthropy in building world-class academic institutions that not only focus on technical excellence but also on creating societal impact.
The School of AI & Computer Science, backed by the Harish & Bina Shah Foundation, will serve as a global hub for interdisciplinary AI research and education. The school will focus on AI applications in healthcare, sustainability, and ethics, while fostering entrepreneurship and robotics. With strong industry partnerships and collaborations with top global institutions like Penn Engineering and University of California Berkeley, students will gain international exposure and hands-on experience with real-world challenges.
Harish Shah, Chairperson, Harish & Bina Shah foundation and Managing Director, Signet Capital Pvt Ltd, emphasized the transformative potential of AI education: “Artificial intelligence will be central to addressing the world’s most pressing issues, from healthcare to sustainability. Plaksha’s interdisciplinary approach will not only develop future AI leaders but also ensure they are equipped to create meaningful global impact. We are proud to support this visionary initiative.”
Complementing the School of AI & Computer Science, Plaksha also inaugurated the HDFC Limited Innovation Hub, supported by the HT Parekh Foundation. Spanning 25,500 sq. ft. across two floors, the Innovation Hub is designed to be a beacon of entrepreneurial growth and technological advancement. It will foster hands-on learning, design thinking, and collaborative projects, bringing together students, faculty, and industry experts to tackle real-world problems and develop solutions with societal impact.
The ₹1500 crore raised through the collective philanthropy effort will not only fund the development of cutting-edge research centers and labs but will also support scholarships for meritorious students, ensuring that financial barriers do not hinder access to world-class education.
Neeraj Aggarwal, Chairman - Asia Pacific at Boston Consulting Group and Chair of the Board of Trustees at Plaksha University, said: “Plaksha represents a bold vision to transform technology education in India. This milestone is a testament to the power of collective philanthropy and industry-academia collaboration. By nurturing future-ready leaders in AI and technology, we aim to position India at the forefront of global innovation.”
Prof. Rudra Pratap, Founding Vice Chancellor of Plaksha University, said: “With the launch of the School of AI & Computer Science and the HDFC Limited Innovation Hub, we are building an ecosystem where students are not only technically skilled but also socially conscious innovators. “
These landmark announcements were made during Plaksha University’s Foundation Day celebrations at its Mohali campus. The event brought together industry stalwarts, academic leaders, and policymakers, reflecting the university’s commitment to fostering collaboration between academia and industry.
Highlights of the day included a fireside chat with Deepak Parekh and Rakesh Bharti Mittal on the future of industry-academia collaboration, and a keynote address by Shri B. V. R. Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, on India’s innovation landscape. Panel discussions delved into the transformative role of AI and technology in societal development, featuring experts like Prof. Chiranjib from IISc and industry leaders like Srikant Velamakanni, Founder of Fractal Analytics and Vice Chairperson Nasscom, Binny Bansal, Co-founder of Flipkart.
With this milestone, Plaksha University is poised to redefine the future of education in India, establishing itself as a leader in AI research and innovation while fostering the next generation of technology-driven problem-solvers.
About Plaksha University:
Founded by a global community of more than 100 technology and business leaders, Plaksha envisions reimagining technology education and research for India and the world. With strong partnerships with UC Berkeley, Purdue, UC San Diego, Cornell University, Penn Engineering, IIT Kanpur and IISc Bengaluru, Plaksha aims to nurture and empower a generation of catalytic leaders and create an ecosystem of research and innovation. The university collapses the traditional boundaries of engineering and promotes interdisciplinary learning by combining technology, design and entrepreneurship.
Plaksha is guided by an eminent academic board including Vijay Kumar, Nemirovsky Family Dean of Penn Engineering, University of Pennsylvania; Prof. S Shankar Sastry, Thomas Siebel Distinguished Professor of Computer Science, Venkatesh Narayanamurthi, former Dean of the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; Sriram Rajamani, Managing Director, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Research India; Julia Ross, Dean of Engineering, Virginia Tech; Krishna Palepu, Ross Graham Walker Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School; Sanjay Sarma, Fred Fort Flowers and Daniel Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, MIT; and business leaders such as Neeraj Aggarwal, Chairman – Asia Pacific, BCG; Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice Chairman, Bharti Enterprises ;Hitesh Oberoi, Co-promoter &; CEO, Info Edge (Naukri.com); Srikanth Velamakanni, Co-founder, Fractal Analytics; Manas Human, Co-founder, Nagarro; Navin Chaddha, Managing Director, Mayfield Fund; Sujeet Kumar, Co-founder, Udaan.com; Dalip Pathak, Special Limited Partner, Warburg Pincus LLC; CP Gurnani, former MD & CEO, Tech Mahindra; Pramod Bhasin, Chairman, Clix Capital among others. Corporate donors include companies like Bharti Foundation, Axis Bank Havells, HT Parekh Foundation, Mphasis, and Motilal Oswal. The global community of business leaders who founded Plaksha can be seen here.