Maharashtra to Launch AI University by June 2025, Announces Minister Chandrakant Patil
Pune, 5th April 2025: In a major step towards embracing emerging technologies, the Maharashtra government will establish a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) University in the state, scheduled to commence operations in June 2025, announced Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil on Friday. A high-level committee chaired by renowned scientist Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar has been formed to guide the initiative.
Patil was speaking at the inauguration of the ‘BC to AD’ (Before ChatGPT to AI Disruption) conference, jointly organized by the Chandrashekhar Agashe College of Physical Education (CACPE) and Garware College of Commerce, under the aegis of the Maharashtra Education Society (MES) and Maharashtra Mandal.
AI: The New Academic Frontier
“Artificial Intelligence is becoming increasingly influential across all sectors in India. Though we entered this field a bit late, I am confident that our country will soon lead in AI development,” said Patil. He added that the Fadnavis-led state government is prioritizing AI integration across education, governance, and industry.
The proposed AI University will aim to become a center of excellence, offering cutting-edge courses, research opportunities, and industry collaborations focused on AI and emerging technologies.
AI Already in Action in Governance
In an interesting anecdote, Patil shared that AI has already been used in decision-making within the government. He recalled a recent discussion at a BJP convention in Shirdi where State IT Minister Ashish Shelar demonstrated how AI was used to generate a list of Guardian Ministers for different cities. When Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reviewed the AI-generated list, he instructed modifications based on the political landscape. “This instance is a perfect example of how AI is being integrated into real-time governance,” Patil said.
Thought Leaders Present at the Conference
The event witnessed the participation of several academic and policy leaders including:
Air Marshal Bhushan Gokhale (Retd), President, MES
Pradeep Naik, Vice President, MES
Babasaheb Shinde, MES Governing Board Chairman
Rohan Damle, Secretary, Maharashtra Mandal
Neha Damle, Director of Education
Dr. Sanjeev Sonawane, Vice Chancellor, Yashwantrao Chavan Open University
Dr. Sanjay Tambat, Dean, Faculty of Inter-Disciplinary Studies, SPPU
Dr. Vivek Sawant, Chief Guide, Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation
Dr. Sopan Kangane, Principal, CACPE
Dr. Kishore Desarda, Principal, Abasaheb Garware College
Dr. Shraddha Naik, Conference Coordinator
The conference focused on the transformative impact of AI across sectors, exploring how education and public policy can adapt to this technological shift.
