Chandigarh University hosted India AI Convergence 2026, an official run-up event for India AI Impact Summit 2026

India’s First AI-Augmented Multidisciplinary University, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, successfully hosted India AI Convergence 2026, which is an official run-up event for the India AI Impact Summit 2026, hosted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, which is a part of the Government’s preparations for the India AI Impact Summit - scheduled to take place in New Delhi from 16th to 20th February 2026.

The India AI Convergence 2026 at CU UP reflected strong institutional alignment with participation and collaboration from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India; Government of Uttar Pradesh; MeitY Startup Hub; IndiaAI; and Digital India, reinforcing the policy relevance of the platform.

Positioned as a high-level dialogue platform, the event convened over 50 AI experts, researchers, healthcare specialists, startup leaders, CEOs, founders, academicians, government agency experts, and innovators from five countries, where they discussed on India’s evolving priorities in Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing, along with emphasis on aligning national AI policy frameworks with scalable, people-centric outcomes that support long-term development and sustainability.

Among the central deliberations was the Strategic Policy Dialogue on “Shaping India’s AI and Quantum Future: From Policy to Platforms, which examined how India’s AI and Quantum strategies can be operationalised across governance, defence, industry, start-ups, and international cooperation. The dialogue also highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s role as a key execution partner in India’s AI and Quantum roadmap in the lead-up to the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

Speaking of Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, also hosted India’s First AI Healthcare Hackathon, as the state of Uttar Pradesh has been nationally assigned the theme of ‘Health & AI’ by the Union Government. The hackathon attracted 1,500 teams comprising 5,000 participants from across India who showcased their talent & skills to bring up AI-based solutions addressing healthcare challenges after more than 100 healthcare problem statements were submitted by government agencies and industry, which was one of the foundations for the hackathon with AI-augmented outcomes.

Honorable Chancellor, Chandigarh University, and Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Shri Satnam Singh Sandhu Ji along with our distinguished guests, launched ‘Quantum for Bharat’ - a National Initiative aimed to build capacity in terms of Building Quantum computing infrastructure development, training and upskilling programs for next-generation talent, and also creating pathways for young innovators to pursue research and entrepreneurship in AI and Quantum Computing.

Along with this, Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, also launched its “AI for All” mission, a national initiative aligned with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s India AI Mission to strengthening AI awareness among the youth of Uttar Pradesh while enhancing AI literacy across citizens nationwide, which will span multiple disciplines, along with specialized training programs and workshops across India, equipping young learners with future-ready skills.

The India AI Convergence 2026 event further featured a series of high-impact panel discussions, including Global AI Framework: Setting the Blueprint for India’s AI Future (AI for Good and AI for All), Quantum and AI Fronts: Building Uttar Pradesh's DeepTech Ecosystem, AI by HER - Shaping India's AI Future Through Women's Leadership; Responsible AI at Scale: Democratizing AI Resources the Indian Way, AI Funding Spectrum: Investment Strategies for Scaling AI Startups and Health in Pixels: Building AI Healthcare Ecosystem for Bharat 2026.

Chief Guest Mr. Nivedan Rathi, Founder, Future and AI, highlighted that India’s vision of becoming a global AI hub by 2047 represents a decisive shift from being a consumer of technology to a producer of knowledge, research, and thought leadership, he then on appreciated Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh & acknowledged the strong commitment to build up strong AI ecosystem and its alignment with the National Quantum Mission. He also mentioned the critical role universities play in nurturing talent, strengthening academia-industry collaboration, and enabling India to unlock its vast potential in AI and Quantum technologies.

Concluding the event, Honourable Chancellor Shri Satnam Singh Sandhu Ji said,  the event is a proud milestone for Chandigarh University, Uttar Pradesh, as it is aligned with the university’s long-term vision. He expressed gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for providing a future-ready national roadmap 11 years ago and highlighted India’s global leadership in skill development & also welcomed the state government’s partnership with the university and reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to nation-building, global leadership for Uttar Pradesh, and empowering students to view the India AI Convergence 2026 as a roadmap for the future.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of Chandigarh University, UP and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha.