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LUCKNOW, August 18, 2026: Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIM Lucknow) started its first undergraduate program, the BS in Artificial Intelligence & Business Analytics, with the first cohort on August 17, 2026. The program was launched during the Bharat Bodhan AI Conclave 2026, at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, in Delhi. The first-of-its-kind program draws from the resources of the AI ecosystem across India. Participants in the event comprised Sandeep Saini, HCLTech’s Sovereign AI Business Head; Sheena Rani R, DS & DG (MCC), DRDO; Manish Gupta, PhD, Google DeepMind; and Alok Kumar (IAS), the Principal Secretary, IT and Electronics, Planning and Programme Implementation, Government of Uttar Pradesh. Manish Gupta also participated via video conference.
The students benefited from multidimensional insights on AI from technology to research, defence, industry, and public policy. Prof. M.P. Gupta, Prof. Sanjay K. Singh, Prof. Suresh Kumar Jakhar, Prof. Pradeep Kumar, and others from the administration welcomed the inaugural batch of 60 students, of which Prof. Jakhar is the Chairperson.
Director of IIM Lucknow Speaks at the Cohort Inauguration
Addressing the inaugural cohort, Prof. M. P. Gupta, Director of IIM Lucknow, spoke in detail about the program and the responsibilities associated with being the first batch. Prof. Gupta informed the cohort that the program was not intended to be an addition to the academic structure in isolation. Rather, it was meant to be a part of a larger vision to help achieve the goal of India's growth with the integration of technology, artificial intelligence, and management.
Prof. Gupta motivated the first batch to understand that the journey at IIM Lucknow would be a stepping stone for the future and the skills and knowledge they developed would help them create larger impacts in the future. As Prof. Gupta said, “The entire program is strongly built with the idea of creating a very definite impact in India's growth story.”
AI and the First Cohort
Shri Alok Kumar (IAS), Principal Secretary, IT & Electronics, Planning and Programme Implementation, congratulated students for being the first cohort, and he stated that the program offered by IIM Lucknow is definitely path-breaking in the area of Artificial Intelligence and Business Analytics.
Shri Alok Kumar indicated that AI would create a need for programs in the future and therefore this program would become more and more popular. For now, being in the first cohort would definitely secure a place for the students in history he said.
Students Encouraged to Develop Critical Thinking
Prof. Sanjay K. Singh, IIM Lucknow Dean (Programmes), exhorted students to utilize the several opportunities at IIM Lucknow to develop their learning abilities. Given the advancements in AI, he said students need to utilize the available technologies to enhance their skills and capabilities, while continuing to think critically and independently.
Prof. Suresh Kumar Jakhar, Chairperson BS (AI & BA), welcomed the students and appreciated the timing of the commencement of the new AI program consolidated with the rapidly changing technologies. He said generations of students will follow and carry the program further, but there will always be a distinction for this first batch, who will always be the first.
Focused attention will be your ally in this complex world; this is what Prof. Jakhar tried to communicate to students by a Buddhist story. He said students should develop the ability to focus greatly and learn a lot for the later stages of their lives at IIM Lucknow. As this first batch starts their journey in 2026, the program anticipates the kind of professionals they will be in 2030 when they will be fully developed to aid the growing AI ecosystem and the development of India as a whole.
Their journey progresses the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 presented by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The vision states that the capabilities we build today will shape India’s development in the future.
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