Controversy Erupts Over AI Centre of Excellence Locations in India

'Avoid politics': Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu fires back at ex-Infosys executive Mohandas Pai's 'Bengaluru ignored' criticism

Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu addressed Mohandas Pai's criticism regarding the exclusion of Bengaluru as a location for newly announced AI Centres of Excellence. He clarified that the selection process was rigorous and merit-based, dismissing claims of political bias and emphasizing a thorough and impartial evaluation.Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu responded to criticism from Mohandas Pai, former Infosys board member, over the selection of locations for the government's newly announced AI Centres of Excellence (CoE). Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had recently announced that three AI CoEs would be established at institutions in northern India: AIIMS and IIT Delhi, IIT Ropar, and IIT Kanpur. These centres will focus on healthcare, agriculture, and sustainable cities. Mohandas Pai took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his dissatisfaction with Bengaluru not being chosen as a location, despite the city being known as India's technology capital. In his post, Pai argued that the decision to exclude Bengaluru reflects a pattern of neglect towards the southern states, despite their significant contributions to India's IT sector. He questioned why Bengaluru was overlooked and urged the central government, as well as local political leaders, to address the perceived bias. Pai's message called for the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Responding to Pai's concerns, Vembu provided insights into the selection process behind the AI CoEs. As Co-chair of the apex committee responsible for evaluating and finalizing the locations, Vembu emphasized that the decision was not politically motivated. He explained that the committee, which included a significant number of members from the southern region and the private sector, conducted a rigorous review of project proposals from various institutions. Vembu clarified that top institutions from the South, including IISc Bengaluru, IIT Chennai, NIT Calicut, IIT Hyderabad, and IIT Mumbai, had submitted strong proposals. However, the three institutions ultimately selected stood out during the evaluation process. He stressed that the decision was unanimous and based purely on merit, urging people not to interpret it through a North-South political lens. Vembu concluded by taking personal responsibility for the outcome, reaffirming the committee's confidence in the final selections and defending the process as thorough and impartial.

Why Mohandas Pai is furious with govt's choices of AI centres of excellence

Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu defended the decision to establish AI Centres of Excellence in North India, responding to criticism from former Infosys executive Mohandas Pai. Vembu highlighted that the selection was based on merit and involved committee members from the South. He urged not to politicize the decision, emphasizing the thorough evaluation process.The government's announcement of three AI Centres of Excellence (CoE) has sparked debate, particularly regarding the absence of Bengaluru from the selected locations. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced plans to establish these centres focused on healthcare, agriculture, and sustainable cities at AIIMS and IIT Delhi, IIT Ropar, and IIT Kanpur. Former Infosys board member Mohandas Pai criticized this decision, highlighting Bengaluru's significance as India's technology hub. Mohandas Pai expressed his disappointment on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). He questioned the government's choice to exclude Bengaluru, saying, "Minister @dpradhanbjp nothing in Bengaluru, the technology capital of India? Why are you and @AshwiniVaishnaw ignoring the South in IT, ignoring Bengaluru? Are we not part of Bharat too?" He pointed out that Bengaluru had voted for the NDA, yet felt neglected. Pai urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and address the concerns of citizens in Bengaluru. In response to Pai's comments, Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu defended the decision made by the committee that selected the AI CoEs. Vembu, who served as Co-chair of the apex committee, stated, "I want to respond to this because I was the Co-chair of the apex committee that decided the 3 AI Centres of Excellence. The committee itself had plenty of us from the South (probably the majority). Most of us came from the private sector and the Government did not tell us who we should select." He emphasized that the selection was based on a thorough evaluation of projects. "The responsibility for this decision on the AI Centres of Excellence should be with us in the committee and personally with me as Co-chair and I beg people to not inject North-South politics in this," Vembu added. He acknowledged that many prestigious institutions from the South, including IISc Bengaluru, IIT Chennai, and NIT Calicut, presented strong proposals but concluded that the selected projects were outstanding. The debate over the AI Centres of Excellence highlights regional sentiments in India's tech landscape. As the government moves forward with its plans, the discussion around inclusivity and representation in technology initiatives will likely continue.