IIMA Inaugurates Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence

AHMEDABAD, India — The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad has inaugurated the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence, marking a major step in integrating advanced technology with management education and real-world applications.

The new school was formally launched during a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Chandrika Tandon, alongside Pankaj Patel, chairperson of IIMA’s Board of Governors; Bharat Bhasker, director of IIMA; and Ramesh Mangaleswaran, a founding member of the IIMA Endowment Fund. The event was attended by faculty members and industry practitioners.

The Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence has been established through a ₹100 crore endowment from Chandrika Tandon and her husband, Ranjan Tandon. The initiative is designed to translate advances in artificial intelligence into practical tools that improve decision-making, productivity, and outcomes across industries, government, and society.

Leaders at IIMA described the new school as a platform that will combine frontier AI research with management expertise to address complex institutional and societal challenges. The goal is to produce insights that are globally relevant while rooted in Indian contexts.

“It is an honour to be engaged with my beloved alma mater, IIMA, to set up the new AI school,” Chandrika Tandon said. “The focus on applied research in vertical industry sectors and functions… will allow IIMA to educate better future leaders and serve society with groundbreaking insights in partnership with industry.”

Pankaj Patel said artificial intelligence is reshaping economies and institutions worldwide, adding that the new school represents a “bold new chapter” in industry-academia collaboration and will help develop future leaders operating at the intersection of technology, management, and societal impact.

Professor Bharat Bhasker called the launch a timely initiative that will help bridge the gap between rapidly advancing AI technologies and their effective use in organizations, particularly in enhancing leadership, decision-making, and productivity.

The school will focus on how AI is understood, governed, and implemented within organizations and public systems, with an emphasis on responsible and scalable adoption. Deep Kalra, chairperson of the IIMA Endowment Fund Board, said the initiative will empower decision-makers to apply AI thoughtfully in real-world contexts and strengthen India’s long-term economic and societal progress.

Faculty members highlighted that future AI challenges will extend beyond technical issues to include ethical, institutional, and organizational complexities. Ankur Sinha noted that addressing these challenges will require leadership, judgment, and governance—areas where the new school is expected to play a critical role.

Alongside the inauguration, the school released its first research report, “Navigating the Future Trap with AI Value Compass,” developed in collaboration with Persistent Systems. The study, based on analysis of approximately 100 enterprises, found that while AI investments are increasing, many organizations remain focused on short-term efficiency gains rather than long-term strategic transformation.

The report identified gaps such as lack of clear AI leadership, weak governance frameworks, and insufficient alignment between operating models and data readiness. It introduces the “AI Value Compass,” a framework designed to help organizations evaluate AI initiatives more holistically, incorporating risk, governance, and workforce readiness.

The launch of the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence signals IIMA’s growing focus on advancing responsible, value-driven AI adoption and preparing leaders to navigate an increasingly complex and technology-driven global landscape.