St Joseph’s University Inaugurates Centre for Excellence in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Bengaluru, July 24: The School of Information Technology (SoIT), St. Joseph’s University, inaugurated its Centre for Excellence in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) on July 24, 2026, marking a significant step towards strengthening industry-academia collaboration in emerging technologies.
Established in partnership with Sherpavector Pvt. Ltd., the Centre aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry by providing students with opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research, innovation, internships, and real-world technology projects.
The inauguration ceremony commenced in the Conference Room of the MAGIS Block with postgraduate students, faculty members, programme coordinators, and dignitaries in attendance. The programme began with a prayer hymn, Thank You Lord, rendered by the choir.
Among those present were Rev. Fr. Denzil Lobo SJ, Director, School of Information Technology; Dr. A. M. Bojamma, Dean, School of Information Technology; Dr. Jayati Bhadra, Head, Department of Advanced Computing; Dr. Prasanthi B. G., Associate Dean and Head, Department of Computer Science; and the Guest of Honour, Dr. K. S. Srinivas, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Sherpavector Pvt. Ltd. Faculty members Dr. Mrinmoyee and Dr. Periyaswamy, Programme Coordinators, were also present. The programme was compered by Ms. Mustakheem Sayem Fathima.
Following the inaugural session, the gathering proceeded to the newly established Centre for Excellence on the second floor of the MAGIS Block, where Rev. Fr. Denzil Lobo SJ blessed the facility. The inauguration included the ribbon-cutting ceremony and the traditional lighting of the lamp.
In his address, Rev. Fr. Denzil Lobo SJ reflected on the importance of combining technological advancement with compassion and service to humanity. He described the Centre as more than a physical space, calling it a platform for innovation rooted in human dignity and inspired by the Jesuit vision of forming “men and women for others.” He also acknowledged Dr. A. M. Bojamma for her instrumental role in initiating the collaboration with Sherpavector.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. A. M. Bojamma described the partnership as a major milestone for the School of Information Technology. She said the Centre would provide students with opportunities to work as research associates and interns on live industry projects under the joint guidance of academic and industry experts.
She further highlighted that Sherpavector would support entrepreneurship through seed funding, incubation, mentorship, faculty development, and shared intellectual property initiatives. Encouraging students to make the most of the opportunity, she urged them to prepare themselves for the rapidly evolving technology landscape.
The Guest of Honour, Dr. K. S. Srinivas, entrepreneur, researcher, venture capitalist, and technology leader with 20 patents to his credit, addressed the gathering by describing himself as a “fellow learner.” Quoting the Rig Veda, “Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions,” he shared insights from his entrepreneurial journey spanning over 13 years.
He noted that his business portfolio comprises nine companies employing nearly 6,000 professionals, and observed that India’s growing IT sector would require nearly one million skilled professionals by 2030.
Dr. Srinivas explained that Sherpavector operates across seven major sectors—Aerospace, Space, Defence, Cybersecurity, Agri-tech, Pharmaceuticals, and Healthcare—with Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Cybersecurity forming its core areas of expertise.
He said the Centre would provide students with opportunities to work on advanced projects, including the development of Large Language Models (LLMs) from the ground up, while exposing them to real-world research and innovation challenges.
Emphasizing the importance of strong fundamentals, Dr. Srinivas encouraged students to strengthen their programming skills by writing 500 to 600 lines of code daily without relying on AI tools, while also developing a solid foundation in mathematics. He added that all 250 interns who had trained with Sherpavector had successfully secured placements.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, followed by a group photograph of the dignitaries, faculty members, programme coordinators, and students, marking the formal launch of a collaboration that seeks to advance education, research, innovation, and industry engagement in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
