Mumbai/Lucknow, 12 October 2022: Sitare University, a one-of-a-kind technology university with the aim of empowering underprivileged students with the power of education today announced the commencement of classes for its first batch, 2022-2026, in collaboration with Shri Ramswaroop Memorial University (SRMU), Lucknow. The inaugural lecture was delivered by Dr. Vishal Sikka, Former CEO Infosys and Founder and CEO of Vianai Systems.
The inaugural batch, the class of 2026, consists of 27 India’s brightest underprivileged minds who were selected from across India based on their JEE Main Scores and a detailed background check. One student from Bokaro, Jharkhand, achieved a maximum JEE Mains score of 99.16%. Students from UP, Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Haryana, MP and Odisha are part of the first batch.
All the students have been awarded a scholarship by Sitare Foundation to cover their education costs including tuition fees, lodging and boarding, books etc.
During the inaugural lecture Dr. Vishal Sikka said “Here at Sitare University, we wish to help our students attain knowledge across domains such as quantum computing, AI/ML, large scale systems, cyber security etc. Taking inspiration from the rich educational heritage of our country, we wish to establish an immersive learning environment where the students not only learn Computer Science but master an iterative learning process. We will not only teach how to solve the known big problems, we will also teach our students how to discover, articulate, and solve unseen problems”.
During his address, Dr. Amit Singhal, Founder, Sitare University said “Education is the only reliable path out of poverty. In this technology led world, a Computer Science education has become one of the most coveted degrees. Sitare University aims to empower bright underprivileged minds of our country by giving them world class Computer Science undergraduate education. For India to realize its full potential in this new era of technology, we require a strong base of world class computer scientists, and Sitare University is a step towards fulfilling this need, alongside improving numerous underprivileged lives by pulling them out of poverty.”
Sitare University offers a four-year degree in Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science. The course covers five specialized majors that span across cutting-edge technologies such as AI and Machine Learning, Computer Systems, Human-Computer Interactions, Data Science, and Computer Security. The University’s deep academic program coupled with a rigorous industry internship programs across leading companies from Silicon Valley and India would not only empower students with the skillset required to be industry ready but would also help them to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape. As part of the inaugural program, several startup founders shared their industry insights and talked about the tremendous need for high quality computer science talent. Startups that participated included Beans.ai, Chalo, Goqii, nCore Games, Tracxn, and Trademo.
Envisioned by some of the world’s most renowned academics and IT professionals, Sitare University’s faculty includes industry stalwarts such as Dr. Vishal Sikka, Former CEO Infosys and Founder and CEO of Vianai Systems; Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder and CEO of One97 Communications; Dr. Ben Gomes, Senior Vice President at Google; Dr. Sridhar Ramaswamy, Founder and CEO of Neeva; Dr. Krishna Bharat, Distinguished Research Scientist at Google; Ajeet Singh, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman at ThoughtSpot, among others.
About Sitare University
The Sitare University has been envisioned by some of the most prominent leaders from Silicon Valley, top American and European institutions, industry leaders, and venture capitalists to ensure that the brightest minds in India get an opportunity to study Computer Science. The university strives to bridge the supply-demand gap of computing professionals in India by building world class Computer Science professionals, but from the underprivileged society. Sitare Foundation Scholarship funds the education of students admitted to Sitare University, thereby providing free Computer Science education to the bright underprivileged minds of India. Sitare University will be established as a private university under the Madhya Pradesh Private Universities Act and will seek all approvals from UGC and other regulatory authorities.