IIIT-Delhi Startup Chartr Achieves Landmark Full Tech Transfer, Pioneering Academic Innovation

In a rare and exemplary instance of academic research translating into real-world innovation, Chartr, a startup incubated at the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi), has successfully completed the full transfer of technology developed at the institute.

The startup has not only commercialized products based on deep research but has also completed all formal licensing processes with the institute — a milestone that is among very few of its kind in the Indian higher education ecosystem.

Founded by Dr. Pravesh Biyani, faculty at IIIT-Delhi, Chartr builds on over seven years of rigorous research and development in the area of urban mobility and public systems optimization. What started as academic inquiry has now evolved into a suite of products deployed with government and institutional clients, reflecting meaningful societal impact.

“This moment is deeply personal and professional for me,” said Dr. Pravesh Biyani. “Translating academic research into functioning products, navigating the challenges of deployment, and building a startup that survives the early hurdles — all while maintaining integrity to licensing norms — is rare. I’m proud that we could do it, and even prouder that we could do it here, at IIIT-Delhi. The policies and people here enabled me to focus on solving real problems, not paperwork.”

He added, “This milestone is not just about a transaction — it represents years of perseverance, team effort, and an institutional culture that supports innovation. We are now entering a far tougher phase — of proving product sustainability and revenue strength — but having reached here gives us the confidence to climb higher.”

Chartr’s achievement highlights the strength of IIIT-Delhi’s enabling ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship. Chartr has emerged as a pioneering force in public mobility solutions, offering real-time transit tracking, data-driven decision support tools, and citizen engagement platforms. Its systems are already live in multiple Indian cities, helping municipal bodies streamline bus operations, reduce commuter wait times, and improve service reliability. Chartr’s work has been recognized for effectively bridging academic research and public service, making complex transit systems more accessible, accountable, and efficient for everyday users.

Prof. Ranjan Bose, Director of IIIT-Delhi, stated, “This is a proud moment for us. Chartr’s journey exemplifies how academic research, when supported by forward-looking institutional policies, can make tangible impact. It sets a precedent and shows that Indian academic institutions can be fertile ground for world-class innovation.”

As Chartr moves into its next phase — scaling operations, ensuring recurring revenue, and deepening customer relationships — the story serves as an inspiring model for future faculty-led startups, and a powerful validation of IIIT-Delhi’s commitment to nurturing innovation with purpose.

IIIT-Delhi Invites Everyone to its Annual Research Innovation and Incubation ShowcasE (RIISE 2023)

Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi) is all set to organize this year’s Research Innovation and Incubation Showcase (RIISE) 2023 on Thursday, 11th May 2023.

This year’s event features panel discussions and research poster presentations on eight key themes- Research Opportunities in EV Design, Challenges in AI-Driven World, Enabling the future with Industry 4.0, Rethinking Communication in 2030, Routes to Monetize Research, Traits of a Good Employee, Challenges after IIIT-Delhi, Entrepreneurship - its Flavors & Impact on the World. 

Since its start in 2015, RIISE has been a great platform for discussing cutting-edge technologies and research opportunities. This year’s event features experts and thought leaders from academia and industry who will provide insights into these technologies and their potential impact on society.

“At IIIT-Delhi, we strive to endeavor such research which contributes to the development of the society and RIISE is one such event which will showcase some very interesting research being undertaken by the students and faculty. The poster presentations will showcase the latest research findings, technological advancements, and future opportunities. The event will also provide networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities among the attendees. Participants will have the chance to connect with experts and peers, exchange ideas, and explore potential collaborations.”, said Dr. Anuj Grover, Associate Dean of Innovation, Research, and Development at IIIT-Delhi.

Keynote speaker at the event will be Prof. Manindra Agarwal. Other reputed panellists include Prof. Ram Gopal Rao, Group Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani Campuses; Dr. Satish Jamadagni, Senior VP Reliance Jio; Dr. Suchita Markan, ICMR; Dr. Manoj Kumar, STMicroelectronics; Mahendra Pratap, Co-founder HCL; Prof. Kaushi Saha, IIT Delhi; Prof. Ashwin Gumatse, IIT Bombay; Prof. Aravind Chandiran, IIT Madras; N. Mohan, CEO Delhi EV Cell; Suresh Arikapudi, Tata Motors. They will be delivering talks on various topics under their theme.

The event is open to general public, including students, researchers, academicians, and industry professionals interested in the latest trends and opportunities, and will be held at IIIT-Delhi campus. Participants can join the event by registering at https://iiitd.ac.in/riise2023/. Registration is free but mandatory to attend the event.

IIIT-Delhi Organized Its Annual Research Innovation and Incubation Showcase (RIISE 2022)

Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi) organized its annual event “Research, Innovation, and Incubation Showcase, (RIISE)” on Friday, April 8, 2022 with eight key themes - Artificial Intelligence, Core Research, Cyber-Physical Systems, Design, Healthcare, Lab to Market/ Start-ups, Sustainability, and Technology as a Public Good.

This annual event provided an excellent platform to participants to explore the exciting research undertaken at the Institute along with an opportunity to network, collaborate and learn to create a better future. 400+ students from across the country were offered with a chance to present their research work under one roof, and to seek new opportunities, such as to support a start-up idea or for collaborations. These poster presentations exemplified some of the brilliant research and innovations by these young minds, which have the potential to revolutionize the future.

“Research Innovation and Incubation Showcase (RIISE) is a confluence of thought leaders, researchers, innovators and developers, who are passionate about bringing new advances in key areas including AI, Healthcare, Sustainability, Cyber Physical Systems, Design etc. RIISE also had parallel tracks for Technology as a Public Good and Lab to Market + Startups. This unique event provided a platform where some of the most creative minds presented their cutting-edge research work, the way forward, and the multi-faceted opportunities for collaboration”, Prof. Ranjan Bose, Director IIIT-Delhi.

Prof. Ranjan Bose

More than 100 delegates from industry, academia, and government were present including 40 renowned speakers as a part of panel discussions and talks that offered insights into their recent research and findings, including work that has not been published yet. With the presence of eminent personalities such as Dr. Gautam Shroff (Senior Vice President and Head of Research, TCS), as a speaker in Artificial Intelligence theme; Mr. Sachindra Joshi (Lead AI, IBM Research) as a keynote speaker; and Prof. Ram Gopal Rao (Professor, Dept. of Electrical Engineering, IIT Delhi), Dr. Lipika Dey (Chief Scientist, TCS Research), Dr. Seema Khanna (Deputy Director General, National Informatics Centre), and Dr. Andreia Cathelin (STMicroelectronics) as panellists for the session ‘Women in Engineering’, RIISE 2022 was a magnificent opportunity for young and budding researchers to benefit from.

“RIISE is an annual occasion when we bring together academic researchers, industry leaders, and government think-tank. We had numerous interesting interactions between faculty and industry leaders today. Students of IIIT Delhi, and even student winners of Business Blasters presented their prototypes and start-up business plans. The panel discussion was on a very pertinent topic and views shared by the panellists were truly insightful. More than 2500 people enthusiastically participated in 8-hour long exposition and I am confident that each minute spent was worth its dime.” Dr. Anuj Grover, Associate Dean Innovation and Research and Development, IIIT-Delhi.

Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi (IIIT-Delhi) was created as a state university by an act of the Delhi Government in 2008 empowering it to do research and grant academic degrees. With world-class faculty and an environment that endeavours to nurture state-of-the-art research and innovation, and enables entrepreneurial activities that bring the gains of deep-tech to the society at large, IIIT-Delhi has grown to become one of the most promising young institutions in India. It has been accorded 12-B status by the University Grants Commission. It is ranked #4 among all universities in India in the Times Higher Education world university rankings 2021 and also among all technical schools in India in the latest Dataquest T-School rankings 2021. The institute was awarded “Excellence in Faculty” in the 7th Higher Education Excellence Awards 2021 by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).

IIIT-Delhi hosts the academic departments of Computer Science and Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Computational Biology, Human Centered Design, Mathematics, and Social Sciences & Humanities. In addition, there are 8 research centres spanning across the areas of Artificial Intelligence, Design and New Media, Technology in Policing, Human-Centered Design, Light Fidelity, Sustainable Mobility, Healthcare and DataKart Centre of Excellence, engaged in high-quality research and development activities. IIITD also houses an Incubation Centre (IC) and a Technology Innovation Hub (TiH).

IIM Indore, IIIT Delhi Alumni Founded Agri FinTech Platform 'UPAJGURU' Launched by DST Secretary and CMD of Bharat Biotech

Praveen Sinha, Sunil, Ravi Soni, Nitya Nand Deepak, Sapna Shimikeri and Chhavi Ankita

Dr Chandrasekhar, Secretary of DST, Govt of India; Dr Krishna Ella- CMD of Bharat Biotech launched Upajguru platform developed by Grus & Grade (G&G)

Dr Krishna Ella, CMD of Bharat Biotech advised scientists not to go behind money, but to solve problems confronting society. Every small issue is an opportunity, he told them

G & G is incubated at Aspire BioNest-University of Hyd

G & G start-up is founded by alumni of IIM Indore, IIIT Delhi and the Delhi School of Economics.

Upajguru is a futuristic crop management system to make agriculture profitable and sustainable.

Dr Chandrasekhar, Secretary of Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India; Dr Krishna Ella - CMD of Bharat Biotech launched the platform developed by Grus & Grade (G&G) and unveiled 'UPAJGURU' Agri FinTech Platform. It was launched on Saturday at SLS Auditorium, School of Life Sciences in the University of Hyderabad, at a function organised to celebrate ASPIRE Foundation Day.

ASPIRE – Association for Scientific Pursuits in Innovative Research Enterprises is a section-8, not-for-profit organization that manages the innovation and entrepreneurial activities at the University of Hyderabad through the incubation of start-up companies in various disciplines of science and technology.

The function was graced by Chief Guests Dr Chandrasekhar, Secretary of Dept. of Science & Technology, Govt of India; Dr Krishna Ella- Chairman & Managing Director of Bharat Biotech International Limited and virtually by Dr Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, Delhi.

G & G is incubated at Aspire BioNest-University of Hyd. It is founded by alumni of IIM Indore, IIIT Delhi and the Delhi School of Economics. Upajguru is a futuristic crop management system to make agriculture profitable and sustainable.

Dr Krishna Ella appreciated the efforts put in by the team G & G, a technology company operating in the Agri-tech/Fintech market space.

Dr Krishna Ella seen interacting with Nitya Nand Deepak, Chief Operating Officer regarding the newly launched Agri FinTech Platform UPAJGURU and appreciated the details of farmer's and FPO's app.

Dr. Chandrasekhar & Dr Krishna Ella launched the app UPAJGURU as a part of Aspire Founday Day Programe at University of Hyderabad. Also seen B. J . Rao, Ravi Soni, Nitya Nand Deepak & Team UPAJGURU

Speaking to the gathering earlier, Dr Krishna Ella advised scientists assembled in the hall not to go behind the money. Instead, try to find out solutions to the problems society is facing. India is a huge country. There are many problems unsolved for years. Every problem is an opportunity. India is a land of opportunities. Every small issue is an opportunity. India has an abundance of talent.

Blaming the government for every problem is not going to take us anywhere.

Farmers are committing suicide not because of Agriculture, but due to other allied things of agriculture, he told.

He also observed that scientists do come forward to support other scientists when they land in trouble. It is a sad part.

Team of Grus and Grade, an agrifintech Company founded by alumni of IIM Indore, IIIT Delhi and Delhi School of Economics. It is led Ravi Soni, CEO in the centre

Speaking about the pandemics, he said one small virus can destroy our economy. Animals are supposed to be in jungles. But we are losing forest cover due to deforestation. In other words, the distance between animals in the forests and human beings living in societies is reduced. Human beings are going close to the animals in the forest. And in the process are carrying some virus and transmitting, he said.

G&G is incubated at Aspire BioNest, University of Hyderabad and Centre of Excellence in blockchain through APIARY, (STPI Gurgaon under Ministry of Electronics and Telecommunications, Government of India).

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Ravi Soni, Co-founder and CEO of G & G said

their motto has been to change the perception of agriculture and endure the absence of pride in the farming community. Upajguru bridges the gap of digital technology in the agri-value chain, so as to make it agriculture sustainable and profitable.

Adding to this, Nitya Nand Deepak, Co-founder and COO said -

UPAJGURU is a product of Grus and Grade is a futuristic crop management system set to make agriculture and agribusiness more efficient, profitable and traceable. In Particular, it will also strengthen Farmers Producers Organisations(FPOs) and agribusiness consortiums.

UPAJGURU is a product of Grus and Grade is a futuristic crop management system set to make agriculture and agribusiness profitable, sustainable and traceable. It connects farmers with farmer collectives(FPOs), input suppliers, transporters, warehouses, marketplaces, insurance companies and banks at a single point of contact. It integrates game-changing features at each step to reduce inefficiencies and leakages along the value chain.

The platform is a medium to unleash the spirit of entrepreneurship in the farmer and empower the collectives of farmers to innovate and adapt. A win-win for the present and future.

It is the need of the hour platform. The world population is set to grow upwards of 10 billion by the middle of the century. But would we have enough food to provide for it? Would farms produce enough to continue to provide for the newly expanded world? The agricultural produce would have to double, and double soon enough for the future to prosper. Farming will have to don a new revolutionized avatar, one catering to the future and the environment. Agriculture as a business will have to become rewarding. 

Center for AI at IIIT-Delhi and Artificial Intelligence Institute, University of South Carolina Sign MoU to Set Academic Cooperation and Research Collaboration

Center for Artificial Intelligence at IIIT-Delhi and Artificial Intelligence Institute, University of South Carolina sign MoU

Center for Artificial Intelligence (CAI), Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi), and Artificial Intelligence Institute, University of South Carolina (AIISC) recently signed an MoU to promote a close association between the Institutes through academic cooperation and research collaboration, with an international focus among students and faculty members, for the mutual benefit of both parties.

This new connection between the institutions will facilitate the sharing of co-advised thesis or participating on the dissertation committee for students & PhD candidates and the interchange of scholarly papers, research materials, and other information in both parties’ areas of interest. This cooperation involves collaborative research and activities and strong internship chances at AIISC for IIIT-Delhi students. The MoU further specifies that the parties can develop specific joint educational programmes in the future and enjoy the benefits of interchange of research, teaching, and technical personnel.

The Center for Artificial Intelligence (CAI), IIIT-Delhi and AIISC have many knowledge and skills from world-class academic experts to students. This Memorandum of Understanding will focus on productivity and a desire to bridge the knowledge gap and promote innovation. This association will provide ground breaking results that will benefit all the parties involved.

Artificial Intelligence Institute, University of South Carolina (AIISC) aspires to be a leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its applications. It fosters comprehensive multidisciplinary & translational AI research across the institution, workforce and economic growth in the state through education, technology, and commercialisation, in addition to many primary research topics in AI.

Prof. Amit Sheth, Director, AIISC, commented, "Since I visited IIITD a decade ago, I have seen it build one of the best research ecosystems among Indian universities. AIISC, a university-wide institute at the state flagship, Carnegie R1, University of South Carolina, already has over 30 researchers, strong foundational research in AI complemented by equally strong translational research. I look forward to having CAI/IIITD students among the AIISC's large pool of remote and on-site interns working on world-class research, with access to faculty from both organizations and having access to our exceptional computing resources. The research collaborations will result in excellent publications and add to the eminence of both organizations.”

The Centre for Artificial Intelligence (CAI) aspires to be India's primary AI development centre. It comprises basic AI algorithms for furthering research and AI applications for tackling societal problems in the Indian context.

"I firmly believe that this MOU will open up huge opportunities for joint collaboration in terms of not only research but also several academic activities, exchange programs, and so on”, stated Dr. Tanmay Chakraborty, Head, CAI, IIIT-Delhi, in response to the collaboration. He added, "AIISC, a recent university-wide institute at the University of South Carolina founded in 1801, has grown massively in the last few years. I, myself, have witnessed the growth. The Center for AI at IIITD (CAI) is also one of the old AI centres in India established by the generous funding of Infosys Foundation with the goal of advancing AI-related Interdisciplinary research. Both the institutions have unique skillsets and would bring in complementary expertise. I am super excited to witness the success of this collaboration."

Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi (IIIT-Delhi) has a strong engineering background and connections to researchers and medical professionals from several Indian universities, including AIIMS and others. The Delhi Government established IIIT-Delhi as a state university in 2008, allowing it to conduct research and award academic degrees. IIIT-Delhi has risen to become one of India's most promising new institutions, with world-class professors and an atmosphere that strives to encourage state-of-the-art research and innovation while enabling entrepreneurial activities that bring deep-tech benefits to society.

IIT Delhi Startup Develop Advanced Fabric for The National Flag for Extreme Weather Conditions

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Delhi) start-up SWATRIC has collaborated with the Flag Foundation of India to develop a top-notch and advanced textile solution for the national flag of the country.

At the lab scale, the researchers have successfully improved the strength of the fabric by 100%.

In a release, IIT Delhi said that it is also in the process of installing a monumental National Flag on its campus. The project is expected to complete by March 2022. Mr Naveen Jindal, Founder, Flag Foundation of India and Chairman, Jindal Steel & Power limited (JSPL) and IIT Delhi alumni have come forward to contribute to the project.

The Law

Under the law of usage of Indian National Flag, Monumental Flag are mammoth-sized National Flags that are not lowered at the sunset and are adequately illuminated during the night.  This was introduced after a policy decision by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 23rd December 2009, which allowed the National Flag to fly day and night on mammoth-sized National Flags.

These flags, once installed, face challenges of being damaged due to heavy winds and tough weather conditions.

In addition, a recent amendment in the Flag Code of India, 2002, also says that The National Flag of India shall be made of hand spun and hand woven or machine made, cotton/polyester/wool/silk khadi bunting. 

Solution By SWATRIC

Image credits - swatric.com/indian-flag

SWATRIC's unique advanced solution take care of specific requirement for these flags to be durable and weather resistant under extreme condition without being too heavy.

Using the advanced fabric being developed by SWATRIC, the the Flag Foundation of India (FFI) has already installed two different prototypes of the monumental National Flag on the field, one in Delhi and another one in Ladakh.

Prof. Bipin Kumar, Textile and Fibre Engineering Dept., IIT Delhi & Mentor, SWATRIC, said, "The aim is to make the monumental flag material durable for extreme weather conditions without being too heavy. Next month, we are also sending 10 different prototypes to different locations in the country for installation. So far, our research is at prototyping stage, the exact durability of the flag will be known in the next few months."

The startup also provide solution to offer environmentally friendly flags of biodegradable material.

The flag(s) can be bought from here - https://nationflagshop.com/.

SWATRIC's Other Tech Solutions

SWATRIC aims to revolutionize Indian domestic textile and garment industries in commercializing new and competitive categories of smart and functional products. The startup is also working on other technologies like E-Textile technology, Shape Memory technology and Advanced Knitting.

The startup's E-Textile Technology includes the integration of smart sensor/actuator materials in garments for non-invasive health monitoring. Such fabric sensor and actuator help to detect the individual’s vital signs and retransmit them via wireless sensor technology to provide continuous feedback on the health status.

While, the Shape Memory Technology-based textiles are novel fabrics that respond to the temperature stimulation. This shape-memory technology of SWATRIC can be used by different textile and apparel industries to impart smart functionalities to their garment or textile products such as self fitting socks, soft actuators, wrinkle free garment, pressure garments, etc.

DST Sanctions Rs 100 Cr. For Cognitive Computing and Social Sensing Hub at IIIT-Delhi, Mukesh Malhotra Joins as CEO

iHUB Anubhuti at IIIT-Delhi has been funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, to the tune of about INR 100 crore for a period of 5 years. Formed under Section 8, the company has been created under National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) of the GOI.

"The National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) being implemented by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) is creating a seamless ecosystem for CPS technologies including basic and applied knowledge generation, human resources, technologies, startups and industry connect. iHUB Anubhuti at IIIT-Delhi will build a strong tripartite collaboration between industries, academia and government agencies and become both an aggregator as well as a custodian of the roadmap in its areas of Cognitive Computing & Social Sensing." Said Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST).

TiH has been set up to create a collaboration between industries, academic institutions and government agencies to innovate and develop data-driven cognitive computing solutions. It aims to provide these solutions to four main sectors viz. health, law enforcement & security, education and environmental sustainability.

"IIIT-Delhi has always believed in creating and nurturing the spirit of innovation among its faculty and students, and playing a leadership role in the region. The Institute has set up iHub Anubhuti, a Technology Innovation Hub (TiH), under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems supported by DST. The TiH intends to establish itself as a hub of research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the area of Cognitive Computing and Social Sensing and also build a nationwide shared facility for public research and commercialization.”, said Prof. Ranjan Bose, Director IIIT-Delhi and Principal Investigator at iHub Anubhuti-IIITD Foundation.

The hub will also nurture start-ups that were born out of TIH projects for furthering their entrepreneurial efforts. These entrepreneurial initiatives will be driven through the advancement of research and development. With focuses approach on driving research and innovation, the project aims to encourage entrepreneurship and in turn yield results on a national scale.

Prof. Pushpendra Singh, Professor at IIIT-Delhi and Project Director at iHub Anubhuti-IIITD Foundation said, “The iHub Anubhuti-IIITD Foundation will undertake fundamental research. The emphasis would be to conduct translational research and develop products to solve socially relevant and globally challenging problems. The TiH will work with industry and other educational institutions to come with unique solutions for problems in the area of 'Cognitive Computing and Social Sensing”

TIH will be spearheaded by CEO Mr. Mukesh Malhotra who brings with him a rich experience of over 2 decades spanning various functions such as Finance, Corporate Strategy, P&L Management, Marketing, M&A and Commercials. He has been instrumental in starting various businesses from scratch and scaling them up in various multinationals and Indian companies.

“Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) holds great potential to solve the issues associated with the onset of Industry 4.0 as it presents a myriad of technological alternatives and advancements to drive innovation. Our framework will enable tech-savvy entrepreneurs to build synergies and deploy their skills in the creation of disruptive solutions to modern problems. Such partnerships will also open up entrepreneurial opportunities to monetize such technologies and create revenue flows for the TIH,” says CEO, Mr Mukesh Malhotra.

TIH, in alignment with its vision and mission, will direct all efforts towards garnering new knowledge, conceptualising revolutionary solutions, developing a skilled talent pool and amalgamating them to create an ecosystem that promotes entrepreneurship in the field of CPS.

Workshop on 'Combating Fraud Activities using Data Science' held at IIIT-Delhi

• Problems such as fake news, hate speech and collusive activities on social media were discussed by subject matter experts

Laboratory for Computational Social Systems (LCS2) at Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT Delhi) organized a workshop on Combating Fraud Activities using Data Science (Co-FAD) on Saturday, 11th January in their campus. It was a one-day colloquium studying the impact of fraudulent activities in Social Science, Journalism, Product Reviews, Forged Imagery, Cybercrime, and Finance among others. The speakers for the workshop were some of the most influential people whose research is helping curb fake activities around the web. 

The workshop commenced with a welcome note by the Director of IIIT Delhi, Prof. Ranjan Bose. He left us with the thought that where there is money, there is fraud. All the talks that followed further emphasized this point. The director’s address was followed by an enlightening keynote by Dr. P.N. Vasanti, director general of Centre for Media Studies (CMS). She highlighted the work of CMS and Penn State University, supported by WhatsApp, and gave some valuable insights. She also discussed the intersection of technology with legal policies for combating fraud.

 



"Major theme that we have trying to address is collusion in online media -- a secret collaboration to deceive someone. These collusions can be propagated through a vast number of social media platforms and also happens on online review forums where people hire colluders to promote or demote certain products. We are trying to address the collusive activities on online platforms and came up with a method to identify such collusion in product reviews. We have also published a research paper on how to detect collusion on twitter," says Prof Tanmoy Chakraborty, IIIT-Delhi, and convenor of the workshop. 

"There are black markets where you pay money and get the desired number of followers. Then there are other services in the black market where one can re-tweet to their customers to get credit and those credits can be used to promote their agenda, etc. It is very difficult to detect such colluders as they are common people. We are trying to collect datasets from premium black market services that will help in detecting such collusions," further added by Prof Chakraborty.

Another problem that society is facing is fake news and hate speeches, which is difficult to control or detect in a country like India where we have numerous languages. Prof Chakraborty was of the view that "Major problem in fake news is that it is not very well defined. We are trying to define fake news to address the problem. Then comes the hate speech problem on social media where we are coming up with a tool which will be able to detect hate speech in Indian languages." 

Yet another informative keynote was given by Anushree Bishnoi and Ankur Pandey, founders of unfound.ai. Unfound.ai is a startup tackling various forms of misinformation in online media. They illustrated their journey, the various challenges and the unique ways they are approaching them. Among the list of other speakers were people from prominent institutions like Queen's University, Belfast, IIT Patna, TCS Research, and Jadavpur University. Head of the Department, CSE, Dr. Vikram Goyal was also one of the speakers for the workshop. Researchers from all over India working or exploring this area participated in this one-day event held at IIIT Delhi. Apart from them, the event also witnessed enthusiasts across academia and industry showing their interest in the event. Student members of LCS2 IIITD also showcased their work through an interactive poster presentation session.

About IIIT-Delhi

It was created as a State University by an act of Delhi Government (The IIIT Delhi Act, 2007) empowering it to do research and development, and grant degrees. In a relatively short time, it has earned an excellent reputation in India and abroad for being a center of quality education and research in IT and interdisciplinary areas. Established in 2008, the Institute has grown to be recognized as one of the most promising young institutions for education and research in India.

The Institute is accredited ‘A’ grade by NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) and has been accorded 12-B status by the University Grants Commission (UGC). In recognition of its performance, QS India University Ranking 2020 has ranked IIIT-Delhi 41 and QS BRICS ranking 2019 ranked the institute at 192. NIRF also ranked IIIT-Delhi at number 55 this year.