New Delhi: In a major push to prepare young learners for the AI-driven future, the Delhi government on Sunday launched ‘Delhi AI Grind’, an ambitious city-wide technological movement aimed at turning classrooms into innovation hubs and students into creators of real-world solutions. The launch event at Connaught Place drew massive participation from students, educators and industry partners, setting the tone for what officials described as a “historic leap” in the Capital’s education landscape.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the initiative represents a decisive step in aligning Delhi with India’s technological aspirations. “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 said, adding that the programme would “bring a transformational change to the capital’s education system.”
The launch also saw the presence of IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to reach the International Space Station, who called the programme an example of leadership focusing on the right priorities. “Such efforts will take us closer to our dream of a Viksit Bharat 2047,” he said.
According to the Delhi government, AI Grind will directly impact over five lakh learners across more than 1,000 schools, colleges, ITIs and universities. By introducing design thinking, problem-solving, prototyping and sector-based challenges, the initiative aims to build foundational AI capability among students aged 10 to 25.
Education Minister Ashish Sood said the objective is to ensure children become “not just consumers of technology but creators.” He added, “Delhi’s next leap will come not from concrete, but from creativity, code and collaboration.” Sharing programme details, he said the movement will train 5,000 teachers as certified AI mentors, develop 1,000 student-led prototypes, select 50 AI Youth Ambassadors and publish a National Innovation Compendium featuring ideas developed by Delhi’s youth.
AI Grind invites participation across 10 sectors, including health, transport, governance, food systems, education, climate and environment, water and waste management, and public services. The initiative will follow a ten-station innovation model, from onboarding and district rounds to city showcases, pilot deployment and youth leadership
programmes, ensuring continuity beyond a single competition cycle.
Officials said Delhi is being developed as a national laboratory for AI-driven education reforms, with frameworks that can be replicated across the country. The Chief Minister emphasized that the shared goal of both central and Delhi governments is to provide world-class technological opportunities to the youth, stating, “We must all move forward together. This is the true spirit of nation-building.”
The launch concluded with a community festival at Connaught Place featuring performances, cycling, art activities and the flag-off of an ‘Innovation Bus on Wheels’ that will take the AI movement to neighbourhoods across the city.