IIT Madras, Walmart Global Tech collaborate on research, skilling

NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has collaborated with Walmart Global Tech to fastrack research in new areas of technology, provide Walmart associates with continuing education and collaborate on projects for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for their India operations.

Under the agreement, IIT Madras students and Walmart Global Tech associates will work on research projects together, facilitated by the Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (IC&SR) at IITM.

Also Read | IIT Roorkee confers HRED Hydro and Renewable Energy Award upon professor Arun Kumar

Besides, WGT will utilize space in the IIT Madras Research Park to leverage the broader ecosystem and work with the start-up companies incubated by the IIT Madras Incubation Cell. WGT will also have access to several short and long-term education and training programmes to upskill talent and fit the changing needs of the retail and eCommerce industry, as per an official statement from IITM.

Commenting on the occasion, Suresh Kumar, Global CTO and CDO, Walmart Inc., said “...Many of our associates, including me, sharpened our engineering and analytical skills while studying at IITM. Our association with IITM will help us further empower our teams, collaborate on digital innovation, and strengthen the education ecosystem in India.”

Also Read | IIT Bombay Alumni's Fintech Summit 2022 on March 11; Finance minister to deliver keynote address

Speaking about this partnership with WGT, Professor Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), IITM, said, “WGT and IITM have many areas for collaborative growth such as sustainability, AI, and energy engineering. We are keen to grow this into an impactful partnership to benefit a broad cross-section of stakeholders including students and faculty members of IIT Madras.”

WGT and IIT Madras will also engage in CSR activities, in addition to grants that will be made to support faculty research and students with scholarships and fellowships. WGT will undertake sponsoring events, advertisements, and other branding activities to further support the institute, said the official statement.