IIT Delhi And AIIMS Delhi Join Hands To Launch Center Of Excellence For AI In Healthcare

In a major step toward integrating technology with healthcare, IIT Delhi and AIIMS Delhi, two of India’s most prestigious institutions, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Center of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare (AI-CoE). The MoU was signed by Prof. M. Srinivas, Director of AIIMS Delhi, and Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director of IIT Delhi, at a formal event held at the IIT Delhi campus.

Purpose of the AI-CoE

The newly proposed AI Center of Excellence will serve as a national research and development hub focused on creating AI-driven healthcare solutions. These innovations aim to support and strengthen key national health programs, offering scalable, accessible, and affordable medical technologies.

Funding and Government Support

In 2024, the two institutes received a grant of ₹330 crore under the Ministry of Education’s “Make AI in India, Make AI Work for India” initiative. The AI-CoE will be the primary executing body for this grant, which was awarded after a rigorous selection process that recognized the potential impact and collaborative strength of both institutions.

Vision and Statements from Leaders

Prof. M. Srinivas, Director of AIIMS Delhi, shared his optimism about the partnership, describing it as a significant milestone. He remarked that the signing of this MoU marks the beginning of transformative, collaborative research in healthcare. “This initiative has the potential to reshape the future of healthcare in India through the power of Artificial Intelligence,” he said.

Echoing this enthusiasm, Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director of IIT Delhi, emphasized the unique strength of the partnership between the two institutions. He noted, “A partnership between AIIMS and IIT Delhi has the potential to transform Artificial Intelligence for affordable healthcare. We are delighted to be shaping this national center of excellence and hope that our output will impact the lives of Indians.”

Dr. Krithika Rangarajan, the Chief Project Manager leading the initiative from AIIMS Delhi, highlighted the patient-first approach at the heart of the project. She stated, "As we venture into this exciting new space, we look forward to guiding the marriage of healthcare with technology. We remain focused on keeping patients at the center of this effort and hope to build mechanisms that would benefit every citizen of the country."

From IIT Delhi’s side, Prof. Chetan Arora, who will lead the Center of Excellence, outlined the broader vision of the initiative. "We are excited to be part of this AI-CoE. The CoE will serve as a key research and resource center at the national and international level and aims to revolutionise the national public health system using indigenously developed AI systems and solutions. Our aim is to develop cutting-edge AI solutions to upscale health services, upskill our healthcare providers, and improve the accessibility of quality healthcare to remote and marginalised sections of our population.”

Prof. Arora added that this partnership builds on a strong history of research collaboration between the two institutions. “IIT Delhi and AIIMS Delhi have a history of strong research collaboration, and we hope that the AI-CoE will establish a new model of collaboration between healthcare and AI technology research, not just in India, but globally."