IIM Ahmedabad marked a significant milestone with the launch of the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence, envisioned as a world-class platform at the intersection of artificial intelligence, management, and public systems. Deeply rooted in IIMA’s legacy of leadership in management education, the School aims to advance cutting-edge AI research, translate innovation into real-world applications, and develop future-ready leaders grounded in ethical judgment and societal responsibility.
The establishment of the School was formalised through an MoU Exchange Ceremony held on 29 January 2026 in New Delhi, in the presence of Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Union Minister of Education, Government of India. The MoU was exchanged between Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIM Ahmedabad, and Ms Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon and Mr Ranjan Tandon, highlighting the national significance of building responsible and impactful AI institutions.
As the first school of artificial intelligence housed within a management institute in India, the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence will position itself at the intersection of technology, management, and public impact, guided by a global outlook and focused on solving India’s unique challenges.
The school is envisioned as a translational AI school that extends and strengthens IIMA’s legacy while preparing the institution for an AI-enabled future. Rather than replicating engineering-led AI labs, the School complements them by focusing on how AI is understood, adopted, governed, and embedded within organisations and systems. It brings global advances in AI into conversation with Indian data, contexts, and challenges- ensuring that innovation is both globally informed and locally grounded.
At its core, the School advances three interconnected pillars:
i) Education aims to develop AI-native leaders who combine technical fluency with strategic judgment, ethical responsibility, and managerial insight.
ii) Research is deeply applied and problem-driven, generating globally relevant knowledge on AI-enabled management, decision-making, and institutional design.
iii) Impact is realised through close engagement with industry, government, and entrepreneurs- driving responsible AI adoption, shaping policy, and addressing India’s most pressing business and societal challenges.
Rooted in IIMA’s legacy of leadership, governance, and institution-building, the School aims to shape how artificial intelligence is deployed and governed to create enduring business and societal impact. It will function as an integral extension of IIMA’s mission to advance the future of management in an AI-driven world.
Ms. Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon is a distinguished business leader, philanthropist, and global advocate for education and the arts. An alumna of IIM Ahmedabad (PGP 1975) and former partner of McKinsey, she is the founder of Tandon Capital Associates, a firm focused on strategic advisory and investment. She is also an internationally acclaimed Grammy® Award–winning musician, and her philanthropic work spans education, culture, and institutional development worldwide. She is a trustee of New York University (NYU) and has served on the boards of many schools and institutions, including NYU Stern and NYU Langone Health. She established the Tandon School of Engineering at NYU, where she served as Chair of the Board until December 2025, and the Boyd Tandon School of Business at Madras Christian College, Chennai. Mr Ranjan Tandon, an IIT Kanpur and Harvard Business School alumnus, is the founder and chairman of Libra Advisors and manages the Tandon family office. The Tandons have established faculty chairs and programs at Harvard Business School, Yale University, and the Berklee College of Music.
