IIT Kharagpur Opens AI-Powered Skills Hub for Rural Healthcare

The hub will train students on subjects including AI-driven diagnostic tools, remote monitoring systems, and digital health solutions aimed at rural and semi-urban India.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur has launched a dedicated training and technology center to merge skill development with healthcare innovation, leveraging AI and digital tools for rural delivery.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur has recently inaugurated the School for Skills: Healthcare & Technology, a first-of-its-kind center on its campus to integrate healthcare training with advanced technology.

The hub will initially train 150 students annually in allied health roles, while also serving as a platform for field trials and validation of healthcare technologies developed at IIT Kharagpur.

These include AI-driven diagnostic tools, remote monitoring systems, and digital health solutions aimed at rural and semi-urban India.

Prof Suman Chakraborty, Director, IIT Kharagpur, said, “The School for Skills: Healthcare & Technology at IIT Kharagpur is more than a training hub – it is a catalyst for change. By combining skill development with cutting-edge technology, we aim to build a healthcare workforce that can serve the last mile, transform rural healthcare delivery, and contribute to the nation’s vision of inclusive growth.”

The initiative will support AI-enabled data generation in rural Bengal, enhance real-world testing of IIT Kharagpur’s healthcare innovations, and strengthen digital health delivery.

The trained professionals will serve at the Syama Prasad Mukerji Super-Speciality Hospital within the campus and at partner institutions, creating a direct link between research, AI-powered healthcare tools, and rural patient care.

This launch coincides with IIT Kharagpur’s 75th anniversary celebrations, set to begin on August 18, 2025, with a commemorative silver coin to be issued.