R Systems to fund applied AI research with new chair at IIT-Delhi

R Systems International Ltd, a Blackstone-backed digital engineering firm, has partnered with Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi to establish a faculty chair focused on applied artificial intelligence for sustainable systems.

Under a memorandum of understanding signed between the two entities on Thursday, R Systems will fund the programme under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative.

The programme is designed to boost academic research in using applied AI to solve environmental and sustainability challenges.


Professor Hariprasad Kodamana from IIT-Delhi’s Department of Chemical Engineering has been named the inaugural chairholder.

“This endeavour presents a significant opportunity to advance research and development in applied AI and sustainability as it leverages the existing knowledge base, fostering academic excellence and ground-breaking research in this domain,” said Preeti Ranjan Panda, dean of corporate relations at IIT-Delhi. “By driving problem-solving and promoting best practices, the impact will extend beyond academia to the broader engineering community,” Panda said.

R Systems chief executive Nitesh Bansal said the programme aligns with the company’s strategy to foster stronger industry-academia linkages. “This Chair reinforces our commitment by fostering greater innovation, driving impactful research, and setting new benchmarks in the field,” he said. “Our partnership with a distinguished institution like IIT-Delhi will undoubtedly accelerate these efforts.”

The endowed chair is part of a growing trend of private-sector support for research roles at India’s top institutes, particularly in emerging fields like applied AI and sustainability.