'It's a marathon, both sides will benefit'

Airtel Africa Foundation starts Al fellowship at IIT's first overseas campus

- SUBHAYAN CHAKRABORTY NIVEDITA MOOKERII

The Bharti group, the telecom major with a strong presence in Africa, is widening its reach in the continent, starting with a fellowship on artificial intelligence (AI) and data science at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras Zanzibar, the first overseas campus of an IIT.

Soon after the announcement of the fellowship, expected to enhance IndiaAfrica ties, Olusegun Ogunsanya, who is chairman of the Airtel Africa Foundation and was chief executive officer of Airtel Africa immediately before the current holder of the office, said, in an exclusive interaction with Business Standard, India and Airtel (telecom network of the Bharti Group) would play a key role in the ongoing process of digitisation in Africa.

Ogunsanya spoke of furthering IndiaAfrica collaboration across diverse areas including digital and financial inclusion.

Earlier in the day, the Airtel Africa Foundation announced its maiden initiative, a $500,000 fellowship programme to sponsor 10 undergraduate students for the AI and data science course at IIT Madras Zanzibar, set up last year. While the fellowship is expected to nurture leaders who will contribute towards technological innovation and economic growth in Africa, Ogunsanya said the long-term goal of the foundation was to create a prosperous Africa.