MAM
IndiaAI and Meta launch AI initiatives to drive innovation and skill development
Mumbai: IndiaAI and Meta have announced a significant collaboration to advance open-source AI innovation and skill development in India. As part of this partnership, a new Center for generative AI, Srijan (सृजन), will be established at IIT Jodhpur, alongside the launch of the YuvAi Initiative for skilling and capacity building in association with AICTE. These initiatives aim to empower India’s AI ecosystem and ensure the responsible deployment of generative AI technologies across various sectors.
The Center for Generative AI will focus on research and development while promoting the growth of ethical AI technologies in India. It aims to support open science innovation and provide education and policy guidance, empowering students, researchers, and AI practitioners with the tools needed for responsible AI development.
The YuvAi initiative targets one lakh students and developers, equipping them with the skills to harness large language models (LLMs) for real-world solutions in healthcare, education, agriculture, smart cities, and financial inclusion over the next three years. It will include courses, hackathons, and startup support to foster AI talent in India.
Ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY), secretary, S. Krishnan highlighted the importance of these initiatives, stating, “These initiatives are pivotal in creating a robust ecosystem for groundbreaking research, skill development, and open-source innovation, advancing AI technology while ensuring its responsible and ethical deployment.”
MAM
Time brings TIME100 Next franchise to India with Reliance
List to spotlight 100 emerging leaders, gala set for December 2026 in Mumbai.
MUMBAI: It’s about time India’s next wave got a global spotlight and now, it’s on the list. New York-headquartered Time is expanding its TIME100 Next franchise to India, partnering with Reliance Industries Limited to launch TIME100 Next India, its first international extension of the rising leaders platform. The announcement was made at the Time100 Gala in New York by Jessica Sibley and Nita Mukesh Ambani, signalling a strategic push to tap into India’s growing influence across sectors.
The India edition will recognise 100 emerging leaders from the country and the global Indian diaspora, spanning business, science, sports, arts and social impact. The list will be curated by Time’s editorial team and published online, continuing the franchise’s focus on identifying individuals shaping the future.
The initiative will culminate in a gala event scheduled for December 2026 at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, anchoring the platform within India’s cultural and business ecosystem.
TIME’s broader Time100 franchise has steadily expanded its global footprint since 2021 through events and impact-led initiatives. Executives noted that India’s growing pool of influential voices and innovators made it a natural next step for the platform’s international ambitions.
For Reliance, the partnership aligns with its broader push to support emerging talent and ideas on a global stage. For Time, it marks a timely bet on India not just as a market, but as a talent engine shaping the next chapter of global leadership.
