Chief Minister Rekha Gupta Launches ‘Delhi AI Grind’

The initiative aims to equip students with future-ready technological skills: CM Rekha Gupta

Schoolchildren will become creators, not just consumers of technology: Education Minister Ashish Sood

New Delhi, December 2025 : Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta today launched the ‘Delhi AI Grind’ programme at a grand ceremony organised at Central Park, Connaught Place. This initiative, introduced by the Delhi Government, aims to develop future-oriented technological capabilities among students and prepare them for an AI-driven world. It is India’s first city-centric AI innovation movement.

A key highlight of the event was the inspiring presence of IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to reach the International Space Station. The Chief Minister described Group Captain Shukla’s presence as “a source of inspiration for the younger generation”, adding that his life journey symbolises the mindset and capabilities of a new India.

The event was also attended by Delhi’s Education Minister, Ashish Sood, senior officials from the Education Department, principals, various innovation partners, and a large number of students. Impressed by the uniqueness of this initiative, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla remarked that the programme reflects the key areas on which our leadership is rightly focused. He said such efforts will take us closer to our dream of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is establishing a new global identity in the fields of artificial intelligence, technology and innovation. She stated that technology has now become accessible to the general public.

She further stated that the ‘Delhi AI Grind’ Initiative will bring a transformational change to the capital’s education system. The initiative will convert traditional classrooms into innovation-oriented labs, where students will develop AI-based projects to solve real-life problems of Delhi.

Nearly five lakh students will benefit directly from this programme, enabling Delhi to rapidly emerge as the capital of knowledge, technology and AI innovation. She also emphasised that the shared goal of the Central and Delhi Governments is to provide world-class technological opportunities to the youth and prepare them for future challenges. The Chief Minister said that the AI Grind Initiative is a crucial step towards the vision of a ‘Viksit Delhi’ and a ‘Viksit Bharat’. “We must all move forward together. This is the true spirit of nation-building,” she added.

At the event, Delhi’s Education Minister Ashish Sood said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of the Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the objective is to ensure that schoolchildren in Delhi become not just consumers of technology but creators. With this vision, the ‘Delhi AI Mission’ is being launched today. He said it is a matter of pride that Delhi is the first city in the country to initiate such a large-scale programme. This is a historic step towards making the national capital a developed and future-ready city, reflecting the government’s commitment to modern and advanced education.

He added that this is not merely a programme but a city-wide innovation movement. For the first time in Delhi, government and private schools are sitting together to identify problems, imagine solutions and build prototypes because the city’s challenges can only be solved collectively, not in isolation. He further said that Delhi’s next leap will come not from concrete, but from creativity, code and collaboration. With this spirit, the Delhi Government is advancing the concept of ‘AI for Humanity’ an AI that is fast yet responsible, powerful yet inclusive, advanced yet deeply human. “Today, we are celebrating science like a concert. This will give wings to children’s dreams,” he said.

After the programme, a community festival was organised at the Inner Circle of Connaught Place. The festival featured a variety of activities including morning walks, cycling, street performances, participatory art, and simple games for children and families. All these activities transformed the AI Grind Curtain Raiser into a lively, energetic and intergenerational community event.