Seed grant programme for AI research launched at NIT-T
The Drs. Ram and Thaila Ramanujam Foundation has launched an AI Seed Grant Programme at NIT-T to fund interdisciplinary research. Four faculty members were selected to receive grants for projects spanning various STEM fields.
Why it matters
Private funding for academic research in AI is crucial for fostering innovation and bridging the gap between theoretical research and industrial application.
The Drs.Ram and Thaila Ramanujam Foundation has launched an AI Seed Grant Programme for the faculty of the National Institute of Technology (NIT-T), Tiruchi.
Established by NIT-T alumnus Ram Ramanujam (1974 Batch), the foundation has committed ₹10 lakh as seed funding during 2026 to support innovative AI applications research by NIT faculty members.
The initiative aims to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) applications research and foster cutting-edge interdisciplinary research across Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), and Architecture, enabling faculty to develop AI-driven solutions with significant societal and industrial impact.
The inaugural call for proposals attracted more than 20 submissions from faculty members across several academic departments. Following a rigorous AI-assisted evaluation process, four faculty members from the departments of Chemistry, Computer Applications, Physics and Mechanical Engineering were selected as the inaugural recipients of the AI Seed Grants.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in