Presidency School of Artificial Intelligence & Advanced Computing (PSAIAC), Presidency University, formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Head Held High Foundation (HHHF) and its flagship AI initiative, JAN AI, on 25 July 2026 in the VC Board Room at Presidency University, Bengaluru. The partnership marks a significant milestone in advancing academic collaboration in Artificial Intelligence (AI), rural innovation, research, entrepreneurship, and community empowerment.

 

Head Held High Foundation (HHHF) is a leading non-profit organisation dedicated to transforming underserved communities through youth empowerment, women’s empowerment, livelihood development, and technology-enabled social innovation. Through its flagship initiative, JAN AI, the Foundation is committed to democratising Artificial Intelligence by making AI accessible, inclusive, and impactful for rural communities across India. JAN AI empowers youth, farmers, artisans, entrepreneurs, and local communities through AI-driven education, innovation, and technology solutions that generate sustainable social and economic impact.

 

The MoU reflects the shared vision of Presidency University, Head Held High Foundation, and JAN AI to leverage Artificial Intelligence to address real-world societal challenges while creating meaningful opportunities for student learning, faculty development, collaborative research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and community engagement.

 

The MoU signing ceremony was attended by distinguished academic leaders, including:

• Dr. Thiruvengadam, Vice Chancellor

• Dr. Dinesh Nilkant, Provost

• Dr. Sivaperumal S., Pro Vice Chancellor

• Dr. Venkateswaran S., Registrar

• Dr. Shakkeera L., Dean, PSAIAC

• Dr. Robin Rohit Vincent, Head, NVIDIA Centre of Excellence, PSAIAC

• Dr. Anandaraj S. P., HoD, PSAIAC

• Dr. Pravinth Raja, HoD, PSAIAC

• Dr. Zafar Ali Khan N., HoD, PSAIAC

• Faculty members of PSAIAC

The ceremony was also attended by representatives from Head Held High Foundation and JAN AI, including:

• Mr. Madan Padaki, Founder, JAN AI

• Mr. Vishwesh Pai, AI Product & Technology Leader, Board Advisor, and Venture Investor

• Mr. Rajeev Menon, Strategic Consultant, JAN AI

The initiative was successfully coordinated with the dedicated support of Mr. Likhith S. R., Assistant Professor, PSAIAC, and Ms. Varalakshmi T., Assistant Professor, PSAIAC.

 

Key Highlights of the MoU

 

The Memorandum of Understanding establishes a collaborative framework to promote:

• AI literacy and digital capacity-building programmes for students and rural communities.

• Establishment of the JAN AI Rural Internship Programme, providing students with experiential learning through real-world AI projects.

• Development of the JAN AI Rural Incubator to nurture AI-driven start-ups, social enterprises, and innovations addressing rural challenges.

• Collaborative research in Artificial Intelligence, rural development, ethical AI, and community-centred technology solutions.

• Development and deployment of AI applications for agriculture, livelihoods, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, governance, and sustainable development.

• Organisation of workshops, seminars, boot camps, hackathons, innovation challenges, AI community events, and knowledge-sharing programmes.

• Faculty development initiatives, technical mentoring, and collaborative research.

• Joint participation in AI summits, outreach programmes, conferences, and innovation platforms promoting inclusive AI adoption.

Objectives of the Collaboration

 

The collaboration aims to:

• Democratise Artificial Intelligence by extending AI education and awareness to rural communities.

• Build technical capabilities among students, rural youth, and aspiring entrepreneurs through experiential learning and skills development.

• Promote interdisciplinary research and innovation to develop AI-driven solutions for rural and societal challenges.

• Encourage entrepreneurship through incubation, mentoring, and start-up support.

• Develop scalable AI applications for agriculture, livelihoods, governance, financial inclusion, education, and sustainable development.

• Foster collaboration among academia, industry, government agencies, and community organisations.

• Advance the responsible, ethical, and inclusive adoption of Artificial Intelligence for social impact.

Expected Outcomes

 

The collaboration is expected to deliver:

• Increased student participation in AI-driven rural innovation projects, internships, and community engagement initiatives.

• Enhanced interdisciplinary research collaborations in Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies.

• Greater exposure to real-world societal challenges through AI-enabled solutions.

• Development of student-led start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures addressing rural needs.

• Stronger collaboration between academia, industry, government, and community organisations.

• Enhanced faculty expertise through collaborative research, technical training, and knowledge exchange.

• Creation of scalable AI solutions that contribute to sustainable rural development, digital inclusion, and community empowerment.

• Promotion of innovation, entrepreneurship, and responsible AI practices that create lasting social impact.

This Memorandum of Understanding marks another significant milestone in Presidency University's commitment to academic excellence, industry collaboration, research, innovation, and the responsible advancement of Artificial Intelligence. Through this strategic partnership with Head Held High Foundation (HHHF) and JAN AI, the University reinforces its vision of preparing future-ready graduates while harnessing AI to address real-world challenges and contribute to inclusive, technology-driven, and sustainable community development.