IIM Ahmedabad inaugurates Brij Disa Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence

The endowment for this Centre has been contributed by Deepak Gupta, Joint Managing Director, Kotak Mahindra Group.

According to the institute, the Centre will undertake leading-edge research in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence that will support businesses, governance, and policymaking.

It aims to forge synergistic and collaborative relationships between scholars and practitioners in data-intensive organizations, besides undertaking case-based research to understand the current industry practice and develop case studies for classroom teaching.

Professor Errol D’Souza, Director, IIMA, said, “Data Science and Artificial Intelligence are increasingly impacting businesses across the world. AI has become an inevitable part of our lives. The Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at IIMA will create knowledge that will further augment growth in business and societal advancement.”

Besides connecting relevant stakeholders, CDSA will also be responsible for dissemination of the knowledge to a wide audience both within and outside the realm of the institute through seminars, workshops and conferences.

Professor Ankur Sinha, Co-Chairperson, CDSA said, “We also aim to engage with the industry and establish synergies that can provide sound technical exposure to the students and offer plausible solutions that can be utilised by the industry and academia.”

Professor Anindya S Chakrabarti, Co-Chairperson, CDSA explained the imminent need for research and development in the field of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.

He said, “AI has transitioned from being a field of science to an integral element of our daily lives. There is a pressing need to harness the power of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. This can be a game changer, not just for businesses but also for societal needs.”

The Centre will also take up challenging consulting projects of considerable practical importance in collaboration with industry players, the institute said.

One of the major highlights of the Centre is an exhaustive annual report on the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence industry in the country, which shall provide a holistic view of the industry, identify challenges and gaps, gauge scope of the industry and offer plausible solutions.

The advisory committee of the Centre includes Sanjiv Das, William and Janice Terry Professor of Finance at Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business; Sunil Gupta, Edward W. Carter Professor of Business Administration, and co-chair of the executive program on Driving Digital Strategy at Harvard Business School; Tiziana Di Matteo, Professor of Econophysics in the Department of Mathematics, King’s College, London.