Nagpur school installs AI robot teacher 'Vedanti', billed as Maharashtra's first

An AI-powered robot teacher named 'Vedanti' has been installed at Pujaniya Golwalkar Guruji AI Public School and Junior College in Abhyankar Nagar, Nagpur. It is being described as Maharashtra's first AI teacher, and is seen as a new beginning for education in the city.

An AI-robotics laboratory was also inaugurated at the school on October 30. The lab aims to give children hands-on experience of artificial intelligence, robotics and other new technologies. The school says the initiative will build scientific thinking, an understanding of research and a habit of generating new ideas among students, and that learning will not remain confined to books.

At the inauguration, Vedanti, a humanoid robot dressed in a saree, answered several questions from guests and drew everyone's attention. By talking and responding, it showed how AI could become part of the classroom in future. The guests also toured the new robotics lab and praised the experiments and projects made by the children.

Secondary Education Officer Anil Dahiphale was the chief guest. He said this was the first AI-based lab not just in Nagpur but in the whole of Vidarbha. He asked the children to make full use of the facility. He also stressed thinking up new ideas, finding solutions to real-life problems and being ready for the technological challenges of the future.

School principal Dr Vandana Badwaik said the lab had been set up so that children could learn skills-based education through experiments, robotics and modern technology.

Ramesh Bakshi of the Bharatiya Vidya Prasarak Sanstha said the organisation was working to strengthen children's intellectual abilities and problem-solving skills. He expressed confidence that such initiatives would leave children better prepared for a technology-driven future.

Several representatives of the Bharatiya Vidya Prasarak Sanstha were present, including Sunil Khankhoje, Shubhangi Phutane, Lalit Tapase, Mohan Sathe and Gunwant Abhyankar. Dr Vandana Badwaik and two students of the school were honoured for their contribution to building the AI-robotics lab.