Persistent Partners with IIT Kharagpur to Establish AI Innovation Lab for Research, Talent and National-scale Innovation

Persistent Systems (BSE: 533179 and NSE: PERSISTENT), a global Digital Engineering and Enterprise Modernization leader, today announced that its affiliate has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) to launch an AI Innovation Lab in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE).

Aligned to Persistent’s AI-first strategy and a shared vision of “AI for All,” the Lab will serve as a long-term platform to advance AI research, deepen industry-academia collaboration and build future-ready talent. The initiative reflects a shared ambition to strengthen India’s role in the global AI landscape by preparing talent for the AI world through research excellence and responsible innovation.

The facility will host advanced computational, laboratory and instructional capabilities to accelerate research and applied development, with a focus on developing robust, safe and responsible AI systems across areas such as healthcare analytics, educational technology and financial intelligence.

Through an integrated approach spanning theory, systems development and deployment, the Lab will support scalable solutions while strengthening the link between research, engineering and real-world impact. This approach is expected to contribute to Persistent’s AI capability stack, including reusable frameworks, domain insights and talent pipelines that can be leveraged across engagements.

Beyond research and teaching, the Lab will promote international collaboration and cross-domain engagement, serving as a hub for knowledge exchange across academia, industry and policy stakeholders. By nurturing skilled talent and enabling impactful research, it will contribute to India’s evolving AI ecosystem and expand access to foundational technologies across sectors.

Dr. Anand Deshpande, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director, Persistent, “India’s AI promise will be built on original research, deep engineering, and work on real problems that shape everyday life. The Persistent AI Innovation Lab at IIT Kharagpur will work closely with faculty and students to advance research while remaining rooted in India-centric challenges. That is how we will prepare graduates who are capable, grounded and ready to make a difference.

IIT Kharagpur shaped my career and my way of thinking. I remain deeply grateful for that foundation. This initiative is a way to give back. Supporting the CSE@50 Mission as the Department approaches its golden jubilee in 2030 feels both natural and deeply personal.

I hope this Lab becomes a place where young researchers feel the same spark I once felt and go on to build things that make India and the world better.”

Prof. Siddhartha Mukhopadhyay, Dean – Alumni Affairs, IIT Kharagpur, “This partnership brings industry perspective into our academic ecosystem while giving our students and faculty deeper exposure to real-world challenges. It reflects the growing importance of academia-industry collaboration in advancing responsible and impactful AI at scale.

On behalf of the institute, I deeply appreciate this wonderful contribution made by the Deshpande family as well as Persistent Systems and remain thankful for their love and support for the institute.”

Prof. Niloy Ganguly, Head of Department – Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Kharagpur, “This partnership with Persistent Systems will create an environment where academic curiosity meets engineering discipline and industry relevance. It is especially meaningful that this initiative is led by Dr. Anand Deshpande, an alumnus of our very own CSE Department, whose journey from the Department to building a global technology leader embodies the spirit we strive to nurture.”