Chandigarh University received the ‘AI-First Organisation’ award at the Republic AI Summit & Awards 2026

Republic Media honored Chandigarh University with the prestigious ‘AI-First Organisation’ award at the AI Summit & Awards 2026, which demonstrates the effort and contribution of CU for India’s higher education & technological landscape. 

The national recognition is an affirmation of Chandigarh University’s belief that AI is more than a subject to be taught in the classroom; it should be lived, practiced, and scaled through every domain it touches, to benefit mankind. To receive this award, Mr. Deep Inder Singh Sandhu, Hon’ble Senior Managing Director, Chandigarh University, along with Ms. Archita Nandi, CEO-TBI, Chandigarh University, graced the occasion & accepted the honor on behalf of the University. Under the visionary leadership of Honourable Chancellor, Shri Satnam Singh Sandhu Ji, Chandigarh University continues to provide quality education and strives to innovate, lead with purpose, and shape a future without limits.

The Ladder to National Recognition Goes Through CU UP

Chandigarh University not only envisioned possibilities but has converted them into measurable outcomes & this particular award is proof of that. There are many examples of such outcomes, but the most recent one is the India AI Convergence 2026, an official run-up event for India AI Impact Summit 2026, by India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) at CU-UP, where the Unnao campus becomes a national AI & innovation powerhouse by bringing together AI experts, policymakers, researchers, startups, industry leaders, and educators to discuss how to boost the AI ecosystem in India & bring real deployment with AI driven solutions. With National-level hackathons, India AI Convergence 2026, and many other national-level initiatives, the university has become an epicentre of any AI related dialouge, change, or implementation in realworld. These activities give newer opportunities to students by connecting their classrooms with boardrooms, research labs with real-world impact, and aligning young innovators with national priorities. All these efforts led Chandigarh University to bags ‘AI-first Organisation’ award. 

Why is the Republic AI Summit & Awards 2026 important?

The AI Summit & Awards 2026, with the theme “Cracking India’s AI Code”, was a premier initiative of Republic Media that focused on advancing India’s AI ecosystem -  from ideas to actionable policy. The platform brought together policymakers, academic leaders, industry experts, and governance stakeholders to engage in a unified dialogue on creating a robust, India-based artificial intelligence ecosystem at the global level. In addition, the Summit honoured institutions, AI pioneers, and forward-thinking leaders who are playing a defining role in strengthening India’s path toward AI self-reliance and technological leadership. This award show was a clear reaffirmation of how India’s AI journey should be: inclusive, scalable, ethical, and deeply rooted in national priorities like the Viksit Bharat 2047 Mission.

Looking Ahead: Chandigarh University is and will be a driving force to bring the AI revolution in the nation by building future leaders with AI competencies.

The ‘AI First Organisation’ award is a reaffirmation of hard work, continuous growth, efforts of Chandigarh University in providing quality AI education to their students. Along with this, CU UP is the best AI University in Uttar Pradesh, with an AI-driven curriculum, Industry-based projects, incubation ecosystems like TBI - CUBE, a centre of excellence & many other world-class facilities. With all these factors together, the university remains committed to nurturing talent that can lead India’s AI revolution. 

Chandigarh University is at the forefront of solidifying India’s AI future by educating minds, enabling innovation, and shaping an intelligent, self-reliant India.

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