Grammy winner funds to set up School of Artificial Intelligence at IIMA

Sharing her motivation behind establishing the AI School at IIMA, Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon, in a statement issued by IIMA, said, “It is an honour and privilege to be able to contribute to my beloved alma mater, IIMA, in such a pivotal area – one that I believe will redefine business and society in the years to come.”

The IIMA exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) virtually with Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon and Ranjan Tandon in the presence of  Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi, and Ambassador Vinay Kwatra in the US.

On the occasion, Pradhan said that the MoU in the lead-up to the India—AI Impact Summit 2026 is a solid reflection of the concrete actions India is taking under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to become a global AI superpower.

“AI will be an enabler for powering people, progress, and the planet. India’s AI leadership will not only be shaped by technology but by the strength of our institutions and human capital. Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence will work towards boosting India’s AI capabilities, democratising AI, creating jobs from India for the global AI economy, harnessing AI for creating a global impact in improving lives and advancing social good, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” the IIMA quoted him in a statement.

The School will focus on addressing India’s unique and complex challenges through the responsible and effective application of AI. The School aims to shape how artificial intelligence is developed, deployed, and governed to create enduring business and societal value. It will serve as a natural extension of IIMA’s mission to advance the future of management education in an increasingly AI-driven world.

“Envisioned as a hub for business-focused and translational AI, the School will bring together world-class faculty, industry leaders, policymakers, and global partners to redefine the frontiers of AI research and application. Its research agenda will be application-led and case-based, rooted in real-world managerial, institutional, and societal challenges. The School will focus on translating cutting-edge AI research into deployable solutions, tools, frameworks, and scalable systems that enhance decision-making, improve productivity, and address complex challenges across industry, government, and society,” IIMA stated.

Through its focus on translational AI, management-anchored research, and cross-sector partnerships, the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of AI will make a meaningful contribution to business and society, setting a global benchmark for AI research aligned with real-world impact, said Prof Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA.

Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Dr Vineet Joshi; Joint Secretary, Higher Education, Purnendu Banerjee, and senior officials of the ministry and IIMA were also present on the occasion.

Who is Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon

Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon is a business leader, philanthropist, and global advocate for education and the arts. An alumna of IIM Ahmedabad (PGP 1975) and former partner of McKinsey, she is the founder of Tandon Capital Associates, a firm focused on strategic advisory and investment. Also an internationally acclaimed Grammy Award–winning musician, and her philanthropic work spans education, culture, and institutional development across the world. She is a trustee of New York University (NYU) and has served on the board of many schools and institutions, including NYU Stern and the NYU Langone Health system.

Ranjan Tandon, an IIT Kanpur and Harvard Business School alumnus, is the founder and chairman of Libra Advisors and manages the Tandon family office. The Tandons have established faculty chairs and programmes at Harvard Business School, Yale University, and the Berklee College of Music.