News India Times

www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know (January 31, 2026 - February 6, 2026) February 6, 2026 8 News India Times Community I ndian American leader in education and the arts, Chandrika Krishnamur- thy Tandon, and her husband Ranjan Tandon, have bestowed more than US$11.5 million for the Indian Insti- tute of Management Ahmedabad to estab- lish the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence. The Memorandum of Understanding was exchanged with the Indian Institute of Management Ahmed- abad (IIMA), January 29, 2026. The Rupees 100 Crore endowment equals $11,562,030.29 using an exchange rate of Rs. 86.49 per 1US$. The MoU exchange was attended by Dharmendra Pradhan, India’s Minister of Education, in New Delhi as well as India’s Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra virtu- ally in USA, a press release from India’s Ministry of Education announced. India’s Secretary, Department of Higher Educa- tion, Dr Vineet Joshi; Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, Indian Institute of Manage- ment Ahmedabad, Joint Secretary, Higher Education, Purnendu Banerjee and senior officials of the ministry were also present at the MoU exchange. Minister Pradhan described the MoU exchange as the lead-up to the India—AI Impact Summit 2026, calling it a “solid” reflection of the concrete actions India is taking under the leadership of Prime Min- ister Narendra Modi to become a global AI superpower. Pradhan added that AI will be an enabler for powering people, progress and planet. India’s AI leadership will not only be shaped by technology “but by the strength of our institutions and human capital,” Pradhan said, thanking Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon “for their benevolent gesture” and philanthropic initiative which “sets and strengthens a fine tradition of alumni giving back to their alma mater.” As a “pioneering” school of artificial intelligence housed within a management institute in India, the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence will operate at the intersection of technol- ogy, management, and public impact, the Ministry of Education said in the press release. “With a strong global outlook, the School will focus on addressing India’s unique and complex challenges through the responsible and effective application of AI,” it added. The new School is envisioned as a hub for business-focused and translational AI which will bring together world-class fac- ulty, industry leaders, policymakers, and global partners to redefine the frontiers of AI research and application. Its research agenda will be application- led and case-based, rooted in real-world managerial, institutional, and societal challenges, the Ministry said. “The School will focus on translating cutting-edge AI research into deployable solutions, tools, frameworks, and scalable systems that enhance decision-making, improve productivity, and address com- plex challenges across industry, govern- ment, and society,” it added. PHOTOS:Courtesy India’s Ministryof Education Indian American Educators/Entrepreneurs Sign Rupees 100 Crore MOU With Indian Institute Of Management Ahmedabad By a StaffWriter Indian American educator and arts and culture leader Chandrika Tandon, left, and India’s Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan in a virtual conversation January 29, 2026, during the exchange of MoU on establishing a new School for artificial intelligence at IIMA. Exchange of MoU between IIMA and the Tandons in US for setting up the Krishnamurthy Tandon School of Artificial Intelligence, Jan. 29, 2026. Department Of Homeland Security Reduces Wait Times For Thousands Of Religious Workers Abroad New rule eliminates one-year foreign residency requirement for thousands of religious workers abroad -WASHINGTON, 01/14/2026 T he U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued an interim final rule to religious organiza- tions and their communities allowing thousands of religious workers—including priests, nuns, and rabbis—that previously were required to remain outside the United States before returning, to resume their es- sential services. This rule significantly reduces this wait time, providing stability and minimizing disruptions for faith-based communities. “Under the leadership of Secretary Noem, DHS is committed to protecting and preserving freedom and expression of religion. We are taking the necessary steps to ensure religious organizations can continue deliver- ing the services that Americans depend on,” said a DHS spokesperson. “Pastors, priests, nuns, and rabbis are essential to the social and moral fabric of this country. We remain committed to finding ways to support and empower these organizations in their critical work.” The rule supports President Trump’s Executive Order (E.O.) 14205, Establishment of theWhite House Faith Office and removes the requirement for R-1 religious workers to reside outside the United States for one year when they reach the statutory five-year maximum period of stay. While R-1 religious workers are still required to depart the U.S., the rule establishes that there is no longer a minimum period of time they must reside and be physically present outside the U.S. before they seek readmission in R-1 status. The demand for visas within the EB-4 category has exceeded the supply for many years. Changes imple- mented by the Department of State in 2023 significantly increased the already lengthy wait times for immigrant visas in the EB-4 category for aliens from certain coun- tries, including for religious workers. These delays have caused many religious workers to exhaust their maxi- mum period of stay in R-1 status. By eliminating the one- year foreign residency requirement, USCIS is reducing the time religious organizations are left without their trusted clergy and non-ministerial religious workers. The interim final rule is effective immediately. USCIS invites written comments and related materials submit- ted within 60 days of the rule’s publication in the Federal Register. From Press Release PHOTO:COURTESY BAPS Mahant Swami Maharaj and Sadguru Swayamprakashdas Swami oversaw the first-of-its-kind event in the USA, when over 30 American youths were initiated as Hindu Swamis (monks) Oct. 2, 2023, at Robbinsville, NJ BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham temple. Immigration