Bengaluru, April 13, 2026: IIIT-Bangalore has been nominated as one of the Lead Knowledge Institutions (LKIs) of NITI Aayog under the State Support Mission (SSM). The inauguration marking IIIT-Bangalore’s role as one of the LKIs was held on April 10, 2026 at IIIT-Bangalore.
Prof. Debabrata Das welcomed the dignitaries on behalf of the institute. IIIT-Bangalore, as one of the Lead Knowledge Institutions, was formally inaugurated by the Chief Guest, K. S. Rejimon, Joint Secretary and Mission Director – State Support Mission, NITI Aayog.
- Kalal, Director – State Support Mission, NITI Aayog, elaborated on the vision and objectives of the initiative and the broader mandate of NITI Aayog. He also welcomed IIIT-Bangalore as one of the Lead Knowledge Institutions under the State Support Mission.
The State Support Mission is an umbrella initiative by NITI Aayog aimed at fostering structured and institutionalised engagement with States and Union Territories. Its primary objective is to support them in achieving their socioeconomic goals by 2047. The mission is strategically designed to assist States and UTs in developing data-driven roadmaps aligned with national priorities and their unique strengths.
As one of the Lead Knowledge Institutions, IIIT-Bangalore will contribute to building capabilities in evidence-based policymaking, leveraging its expertise in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence to support governance and development outcomes.
“LKIs are collaborating with States in critical areas such as governance reforms, sectoral strategies, innovation frameworks and capacity building. Collaborations between Lead Knowledge Institutions, States and NITI Aayog, will mobilize domain expertise bringing to the fore their complementing competencies for achieving larger socio-economic growth objectives” said Mr. K. S. Rejimon, Joint Secretary & Mission Director – State Support Mission, NITI Aayog
“Today’s event is important as it reflects a shift towards more structured partnerships between government and knowledge institutions.Another important aspect is the need to build a wider ecosystem. Knowledge institutions can play a role in connecting academia, students and practitioners with public policy challenges. This helps in bringing new ideas and practical solutions into governance” said Mr. S. Kalal, Director – State Support Mission, NITI Aayog
“The inauguration of IIIT-Bangalore as a Lead Knowledge Institute under NITI Aayog’s State Support Mission marks a critical step in bridging the gap between computational research and impactful public policy. As Data Science and AI researchers, we are uniquely positioned to tackle complex, large-scale challenges to support governance frameworks driven by evidence and data-driven interventions.
Central to this research mission is the development of an intervention science for complex systems. Societal systems are often characterized by intricate interdependencies where a single change can trigger cascading side-effects or unexpected trade-offs. Our work goes beyond traditional predictive modeling; we are building the frameworks to represent, reason about, and model the stability of these interventions, ensuring that our technical support translates into sustained, positive outcomes for the State Support Mission.” said Prof. Srinath Srinivasa, Dean R&D, IIIT-Bangalore.
“At IIIT-Bangalore, we believe that technology can play a transformative role in governance. IIIT Bangalore being a Lead Knowledge Institution with NITI Aayog’s State Support Mission, we are committed to supporting states through data-driven policy research and advanced analytics. By leveraging our expertise in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, we aim to enable possible actionable insights and contribute to inclusive and sustainable development,” said Prof. Debabrata Das, Director, IIIT-Bangalore.
The inauguration marks an important milestone in IIIT-Bangalore’s role as a Lead Knowledge Institution under the State Support Mission of NITI Aayog, reinforcing its commitment to supporting data-driven and evidence-based governance.
About IIIT-Bangalore
IIIT-Bangalore is a premier institute dedicated to undergraduate, postgraduate and Ph.D. programmes specializing in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE), Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DSAI), Digital Humanities and Societal Systems (DHSS), and broader fields of IT and research. Situated in the heart of Electronic City, Bengaluru, it holds a prominent position in the academic landscape. IIIT-Bangalore is graded A+ by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). In the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for 2025, IIIT-B has secured 69th ranking. IIIT-Bangalore contains state-of-the-art infrastructure, eminently qualified faculty, a vibrant alumni community, cutting-edge research facilities, and close industry collaborations.
The institute’s specially designed courses make the students’ cognizant of the current technologies. Experiential learning and practices followed in the institute equip them with the tools and knowledge to solve contemporary real problems. IIIT-Bangalore has consistently achieved excellent placement records every year since its establishment in 1998, thanks to the unwavering support of the industry and the expanding pool of highly skilled alumni.
For more details, log onto https://www.iiitb.ac.in
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
