Additional HTI Saksham initiative

Delhi, august 11. Under its flagship Saksham initiative, the US-based Honeywell Technologies India (HTI) announced an additional skilling initiative to equip 3 lakh students in India with future-ready capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, sustainability, and advanced technologies by 2030. Over the past decade, Honeywell Technologies has already trained 1.3 million students in these technologies.

For this initiative, Honeywell Technologies is partnering with IIT-Bombay, BharatCares, the Ladli Foundation and the Foundation of Science, Innovation & Development at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

“Through the Saksham programme, HTI is bringing academia, government, non-profits and industry together to create stronger linkages between education, skills and employment. From smart classrooms and sustainability learning to Centres of Excellence and startups incubation, these initiatives are designed to deliver measurable, long-term impact and widen access to opportunity for students across India. Saksham reflects our commitment to advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat by building a future-ready talent and innovation pipeline for the country,” said Ashish Modi, President, HTI and APAC, speaking on the occasion.

IIM-B’s undergrad education foray

Bengaluru, august 21. IIM-Bangalore’s initiative to introduce undergraduate programmes has proved a great success, attracting 12,000 applications from across the country for the inaugural cohort of 80 students. The highly competitive selection process has attracted exceptionally high-calibre students in the first batch, many with outstanding profiles, marking a strong beginning for IIM-B’s foray into undergraduate education. With a full house, the inaugural batch of the programmes is set to commence on August 31. The success of the inaugural cohort comes alongside a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between IIM-Bangalore and Tata Trusts (Sir Dorabji Tata Trust). The MoU formalises a significant philanthropic contribution by the Tata Trusts towards the development of the school that will be nomenclatured ‘Indian Institute of Management Bangalore — Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies’.

“India’s next phase of growth will require institutions that can be ranked amongst the best in the world. Our partnership with IIM-Bangalore reflects that objective. Through the IIMB-Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies, we hope to develop an institution that can set new benchmarks for undergraduate education and make a lasting contribution to the country,” said Noel Tata, Chairman, Tata Trusts, speaking on the occasion.

PwC-SAP India program

Odisha, august 25. PwC India and SAP India announced an 18-month long immersive skill development programme for engineering students countrywide. This initiative aims to equip students with industry-relevant skills and certification to enhance their workforce readiness.

The launch of the programme was marked by signing of an MoU with the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) Bhubaneswar, the first academic institution PwC India and SAP India are partnering with under the University Alliances initiative in India. This programme will subsequently be expanded to other universities nationwide.

“India has a unique opportunity to become the world’s talent engine, but achieving that requires stronger collaboration between academia and industry. This programme is designed to equip students with future-ready skills and hands-on experience as they prepare to enter the workforce. We are pleased to partner with SAP India to build a pipeline of skilled talent for India’s digital economy,” said Sanjeev Krishan, Chairperson, PwC India, speaking on the occasion.

Designed for Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) students across Computer Science, Electronics & Communication, and AI/ML disciplines, the programme combines SAP-certified learning with practical industry experience and skill-building sessions to prepare students for technology careers. Students exhibiting strong performance will also be eligible for six-month internship with PwC India.

Emversity’s new President

Bengaluru, september 1. Emversity, a higher education embedded training & employability platform operated by Beyond Odds Technologies Pvt. Ltd, a company funded by Premji Invest — the family investment company of billionaire Azim Premji — announced the appointment of Prof. Deepak Kumar Srivastava as President, Higher Education & Policy.

Emversity works with universities across India to combine academic programmes with industry-relevant skills. The platform currently supports 40 higher education campuses and over 7,000 active learners, primarily in healthcare and travel & hospitality-focused study programmes. Previously, Prof. Srivastava served as Vice-Chairman of the University Grants Commission (2022-25), and held additional charge as Chairman of the Indian Council of Social Science Research. Earlier, he served as Deputy Director of TISS; and was Director of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management, New Delhi.

“India’s skilling ambitions depend on programmes that combine academic rigour with clear pathways to employment. Emversity is building at the intersection of universities, industry and student outcomes. I look forward to strengthen that connection,” said Prof. Srivastava.