IIT Kharagpur to Establish Benjamin Gupta School of Physical AI with Rs 35 Crore Investment

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur is set to establish the Benjamin Gupta School of Physical AI, a new initiative aimed at advancing artificial intelligence beyond conventional data-driven algorithms and digital applications. With an estimated investment of Rs 35 crore, the school will focus on developing AI systems capable of understanding, predicting and interacting with the physical world.

The initiative will bring together artificial intelligence, engineering, scientific research, medicine, biological systems and real-world technologies. Its primary focus will be on physics-grounded intelligence, an emerging area that combines AI with the principles of the physical world to develop more intelligent and practical systems.

Rs 35 Crore Investment to Support AI Research and Infrastructure

The proposed school will be established through contributions from the Vinod Gupta family, an IIT Kharagpur alumnus and the institute itself.

Of the total estimated cost of Rs 35 crore, the Vinod Gupta family will contribute Rs 12.5 crore, while another alumnus will provide Rs 10 crore. IIT Kharagpur will fund the remaining amount.

The funds will support dedicated infrastructure for the Department of Artificial Intelligence, along with interdisciplinary academic programmes and research activities. The initiative is expected to strengthen the institute's capabilities in advanced AI research and encourage collaboration across multiple scientific and engineering disciplines.

School Named in Memory of Benjamin Gupta

The school will be named after Benjamin Gupta, the late son of Vinod Gupta, who passed away at the age of 28.

Benjamin was pursuing a joint JD/MBA programme at The George Washington University. He had also been associated with US Representative Rahm Emanuel and the US Department of State.

Vinod Gupta, a Life Fellow of IIT Kharagpur, said the initiative held deep personal significance for him as it would honour his son's memory.

IIT Kharagpur Director Highlights the Future of Physical AI

IIT Kharagpur Director Suman Chakraborty said the next major advancement in artificial intelligence would involve transforming how humans understand, engineer and interact with the physical world.

He emphasised that the new school would help India move beyond being a user of AI technologies and work towards becoming a creator of intelligent physical systems.

The initiative reflects a broader shift in AI research, where the emphasis is expanding from digital applications to technologies that can operate in and respond to real-world environments.

Key Research Areas at the Benjamin Gupta School of Physical AI

According to IIT Kharagpur, the school will focus on several emerging areas at the intersection of artificial intelligence, physics and engineering.

Its proposed research areas include:

• Physics-informed machine learning
• Scientific artificial intelligence
• Digital twins
• Intelligent robotics
• Autonomous systems
• Advanced sensing technologies
• Computational engineering
• AI-enabled experimentation

Research in these fields is expected to support innovation across a wide range of sectors, including advanced manufacturing, energy, climate and environmental technologies, agriculture, healthcare, medical devices, infrastructure and next-generation engineering systems.

By connecting AI research with practical applications, the school aims to contribute to the development of technologies that can address complex scientific, industrial and societal challenges.

Academic Programmes Expected from the Upcoming Session

IIT Kharagpur plans to introduce academic programmes at the school from the upcoming academic session, subject to the necessary approvals.

The proposed offerings include hybrid master's programmes, executive education, professional certification courses and specialised interdisciplinary modules.

These programmes are expected to cater to a diverse group of learners, including students, researchers, working professionals, engineers, scientists and medical graduates.

The academic approach will aim to bridge the gap between theoretical AI research and its application in physical systems, while creating opportunities for professionals and researchers to develop expertise in this emerging field.


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Strengthening India's Position in Physical AI

The establishment of the Benjamin Gupta School of Physical AI marks a significant step in IIT Kharagpur's efforts to expand interdisciplinary research and education in artificial intelligence.

With dedicated infrastructure, industry-relevant research areas and proposed academic programmes, the school aims to advance the development of intelligent systems that can understand and interact with the physical environment.

As AI continues to evolve, the initiative could help strengthen India's research capabilities in robotics, autonomous technologies, scientific discovery and AI-driven engineering, while supporting the country's ambition to become a creator of advanced AI solutions rather than simply a consumer of existing technologies.