Walmart Global Tech (WGT) has partnered with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to launch the Walmart Center for Tech Excellence—designed to strengthen the research ecosystem in India. The center will focus on driving research excellence in the field of Computer Science and empowering talent with opportunities for future growth. In February 2024, Walmart launched a Center for Tech Excellence at IIT Madras. Walmart’s partnerships with the academia reinforce its commitment towards serving communities and helping them live better.
The center will operate within IISc’s Department of Computer Science and Automation (CSA) and will focus on solving foundational problems in Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Computer Systems and Theoretical Computer Science. To inspire top researchers in India, this initiative will onboard and grant fellowships to highly skilled Pre-doc, Ph.D. and Post-doc candidates. Additionally, the center will focus on nurturing a new generation of talent by mentoring students from tier 2 and tier 3 institutes in India through internships, workshops and Pre-doc opportunities. It will also foster collaboration with leading international universities and help contribute to the global research community.
The center was launched at an inaugural event in the presence of Hari Vasudev, EVP, Global Tech Platforms, Walmart Global Tech, Balu Chaturvedula, SVP & Country Head, Walmart Global Tech along with G Rangarajan, Director, IISc and Rajesh Sundaresan, Dean, Division of Electrical, Electronics and Computer Sciences (EECS), IISc. Key leaders from Walmart and senior faculty members of CSA, IISc were also present at the event.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Hari Vasudev, EVP, Global Tech Platforms, Walmart Global Tech, said, “I’m truly proud to witness the launch of the Walmart Center for Tech Excellence and excited about the contributions it will make to the field of research. As a people-led, tech-powered organization, we believe in the power of technology to serve people and communities to live better lives. Our partnership with the academia helps us bring this vision to life and our collaboration with IISc is another milestone in this journey.”
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