Chandigarh University Hosts India’s First AI Fest 2026, Launches CU AI Mission & Bose-Einstein Quantum Centre of Excellence

Mohali, February 19: Marking a historic step in positioning Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a driving force for innovation, entrepreneurship and inclusive national development while further strengthening India’s emergence as a rapidly rising global AI hub, Chandigarh University organized India’s first ‘AI Fest - 2026’ on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit – 2026 to empower young innovators, strengthen the AI start-up ecosystem and transform bold and scalable ideas into technology-driven solutions to realize the vision of Viksit Bharat. 

The mega initiative brought together global entrepreneurs, policymakers, AI leaders, corporates, academia, researchers, startups, and student innovators in a powerful convergence of technology, talent, and transformative ideas. The discussions spanned four broad themes—Evolving AI with Evolving Humans, AI Engineered Reality, AI Policy Governance and Structuring, and Technical Frontiers providing a dynamic platform to explore AI-driven innovation and inclusive economic growth.

The grand inauguration of AI Fest 2026 was held in the esteemed presence of Ankur Warikoo Founder of WebVeda, IndiaGeniusChallenge and Ronnie Screwvala, Chairperson UpGrad and education-tech pioneer along with Member of Parliament and Chancellor of Chandigarh University, Satnam Singh Sandhu and eminent global AI leaders and industry experts.

Aligned with the India AI Mission, Chandigarh University became the first university in the country to launch the CU AI Mission, a comprehensive institutional roadmap focused on advancing research and development in Artificial Intelligence, promoting AI-led entrepreneurship and imparting AI literacy across academic disciplines. The mission aims to democratize AI knowledge by training 1.5 lakh youth, transforming India’s demographic dividend into a globally competitive AI-first workforce equipped to lead and innovate across both academic and digital-first professional ecosystems.

Addressing the gathering during an Unfiltered session on AI Engineered Reality, Ankur Warikoo, Founder of WebVeda, IndiaGeniusChallenge said, “I truly believe that AI is not something to fear. Your job will not be taken away by AI, it will be taken away by someone who knows how to use AI better than you. The future belongs to those who embrace technology, learn continuously and adapt to change rather than run away from it.”

“I am glad to see institutions like Chandigarh University creating platforms where conversations around AI are happening at the grassroots level. As students, all you need to do is to listen, stay curious and remain lifelong learners, because when you become a student for life, you never stop growing. Today, technology has removed all excuses for not learning. With AI tools, anyone can improve communication skills, learn new languages, build ideas and make better decisions.”

Addressing the gathering, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Chancellor Satnam Singh Sandhu said, “Artificial Intelligence will emerge as India’s next trillion-dollar growth engine. With the launch of India’s first CU AI Mission and AI Fest, we reaffirm our commitment to realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making AI a major cornerstone of Viksit Bharat. With the launch of the CU AI Mission, Chandigarh University has become the first university in India to introduce a dedicated AI Mission aligned with the India AI Mission and driven by the vision of Making AI in India and Making AI Work for India we have taken a landmark step towards building a future-ready innovation ecosystem focused on advancing cutting-edge research, nurturing AI-driven entrepreneurship and strengthening AI literacy across disciplines to help establish India as a global AI leader. I believe universities must evolve into national innovation and talent hubs by encouraging research-driven learning, startup incubation and strong global collaborations. By nurturing innovators and young changemakers who will shape India’s AI-driven future, we are creating a powerful ecosystem that will accelerate tech-led economic growth, drive indigenous innovation, generate high-value employment and position India as a global leader in responsible and inclusive AI development. India will lead the responsible AI Revolution with an objective to democratize the use of AI for betterment of society”. 

 

Ronnie Screwvala, Chairperson UpGrad and education-tech pioneer said, “We are living in a time where technology especially AI is fundamentally reshaping how we learn, work and build careers. But I want young people to understand one thing clearly AI is not here to replace you, it is here to amplify you. The real difference will always be made by individuals who know how to use technology creatively and responsibly. AI is a powerful tool, but it cannot replace curiosity, imagination, empathy or resilience. Those human qualities will continue to define true success.”

“I believe AI should not be used merely to get answers or shortcuts. It should be used as a tool for self-discovery to understand your strengths, explore new ideas and refine your thinking. The future will not belong to those who simply follow fixed career paths or outdated playbooks. It will belong to those who are nimble, adaptable and open to continuous learning. Today’s generation has the opportunity to pursue multiple careers, experiment with entrepreneurship, content creation, investing and innovation all at once. This flexibility is a huge advantage if used wisely.”

Chandigarh University launched the Bose-Einstein Quantum Centre of Excellence with QpiAI, QKrishi and CSIR-National Physical Laboratory under the National Quantum Mission to drive quantum research, training and startup incubation. With this, Chandigarh University has become first private university in India to set-up Quantum Center of Excellence, which will serve as National Quantum Cryogenic Testing Facility, for leadership in education, research and entrepreneurship.

On launch of the state-of-the-art facility, Deep Inder Singh Sandhu, Senior Managing Director, Chandigarh University said, “To advance cutting-edge quantum research, strengthen specialized training and accelerate startup incubation in emerging technologies, the Bose-Einstein Quantum Centre of Excellence has been launched by Chandigarh University in collaboration with quantum startups QpiAI (Qpid Force) and QKrishi along with CSIR-NPL (National Physical Laboratory) for training, research and incubation of startups with certificate courses for students and budding entrepreneurs under the National Quantum Mission. With dedicated certificate programmes, advanced research initiatives and incubation support for students and budding entrepreneurs, the Centre aims to build a robust quantum innovation ecosystem and position the university as a national leader in quantum education, research and entrepreneurship, making it the first private university in India to establish a comprehensive Quantum Centre of Excellence.” 

A high-level panel on Technical Frontiers under the theme Emerging Technologies examined the transformative role of quantum computing, advanced research and next-generation technologies in shaping the future of industry and innovation. The panel featured Prof (Dr) Venu Gopal Achanta, Director of CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Government of India, who spoke on India’s expanding capabilities in quantum science and precision technologies and L Vekata Subramanium, IBM Quantum India Lead and IBM Master Inventor at IBM, who shared insights on the growing quantum ecosystem, enterprise adoption and the future impact of quantum computing. Moderated by Nivedan Rathi, Founder of Future & AI, the discussion highlighted the importance of academia–industry collaboration, research-driven innovation and deep-tech talent development to position India at the forefront of emerging technologies. 

The grand finale of Campus Tank, India’s first university-led start-up launchpad which was introduced in August 2025 will take place on February 21. 

The Sandbox platform organized by Chandigarh University’s Technology Business Incubator which is a platform to provide an open innovation ecosystem for students, startups, professionals and independent innovators would take place on February 20. 

Chandigarh University also launched the NARI Scheme (Nurturing AI Revolution for Inclusion – Women in Tech) aligned with the Nari Shakti which is has been envisioned as one of the four pillars of Viksit Bharat by PM Narendra Modi. The initiative aims to empower women through AI and technology upskilling, startup incubation and entrepreneurial support, health and wellness outreach and leadership development across sectors.

A high-impact panel on AI Ethics, Trust & Governance under the theme NARI—Nurturing AI Revolution for Inclusion: Women Leading Fronts brought together distinguished women leaders to deliberate on building a responsible, inclusive and trustworthy AI ecosystem. The session featured insights from Ayesha Chaudhary from WomenLift Health, entrepreneur Varija Bajaj of Varija Lifestyles, Aditi Maheshwari of Vani Prakashan Group which was moderated by Navyaa Sharma, Software Engineer at Google, the discussion explored ethical AI frameworks, responsible governance models, diversity in AI leadership and the need to ensure equitable access to emerging technologies.