Plaksha University Marks Foundation Day with INR 1500 Cr Fundraise, Unveils School of AI & Computer Science The INR 1500 crore raised will fund cutting-edge research centers, labs, and scholarships for meritorious students, ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder access to quality education.
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Plaksha University, a pioneering institution reimagining higher education and research in India, marked its Foundation Day with a landmark announcement—the launch of the School of AI & Computer Science.
The announcement follows a significant fundraising milestone of INR 1500 crore through collective philanthropy, with contributions from some of India's most influential business leaders and entrepreneurs.
Key donors include 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), Neeraj Aggarwal (BCG), and SK Jain (RatnaTraya Capital). Their collective support underscores the crucial role of private philanthropy in shaping world-class academic institutions that integrate technical excellence with societal impact.
The School of AI & Computer Science, backed by the Harish & Bina Shah Foundation, will serve as a hub for interdisciplinary AI research and education. It 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 UC Berkeley, students will gain international exposure and hands-on experience tackling real-world challenges.
Harish Shah, Founder and Managing Director of Signet Capital, said, "Artificial intelligence will be central to solving the world's most pressing challenges, from healthcare to sustainability. Plaksha's interdisciplinary approach will not only develop future AI leaders but also ensure they create meaningful global impact."
Complementing this, Plaksha inaugurated the HDFC Limited Innovation Hub, supported by the HT Parekh Foundation. Spanning 25,500 sq. ft. across two floors, the hub will foster hands-on learning, design thinking, and collaboration between students, faculty, and industry experts. It aims to drive real-world problem-solving and innovation.
The INR 1500 crore raised will fund cutting-edge research centers, labs, and scholarships for meritorious students, ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder access to quality education.
Neeraj Aggarwal, Chairman - Asia Pacific at BCG and Chair of Plaksha's Board of Trustees, stated, "Plaksha represents a bold vision to transform technology education in India. This milestone highlights the power of collective philanthropy and industry-academia collaboration in shaping future-ready leaders."
The Foundation Day celebrations at Plaksha's Mohali campus featured fireside chats with industry leaders like Deepak Parekh and Rakesh Bharti Mittal, alongside a keynote address by Shri B. V. R. Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog. Panel discussions on AI's societal impact featured experts from academia and industry, reinforcing Plaksha's mission to drive innovation and thought leadership.
With this milestone, Plaksha University is poised to redefine technology education in India, shaping the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers.
