Gujarat opens first Green Skills and AI centre at Ahmedabad's LD College
By Aditi KulkarniEducation Writer, Peepals Bharat
Representative image: Bru-nO / Pixabay
Gujarat opened its first Green Skills and Applied AI Centre of Excellence at L.D. College of Engineering, Ahmedabad, aiming to train up to 3 lakh youth.
What Happened
Gujarat has opened its first Green Skills and Applied AI Centre of Excellence at L.D. College of Engineering in Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, set up by the state government through the Gujarat Knowledge Society (GKS) with the 1M1B (One Million for One Billion) Foundation, MeitY Startup Hub and Microsoft, according to announcements published between 29 and 31 October 2026. The centre is part of a three-year partnership between the Gujarat government and 1M1B that aims to train and engage up to three lakh young people in applied artificial intelligence, green skills, sustainability and emerging technologies. Students will get hands-on learning in applied AI, solar energy, electric vehicles and wind energy.
Key Facts
- Where: L.D. College of Engineering, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad.
- Partners: Government of Gujarat (through the Gujarat Knowledge Society), 1M1B Foundation, MeitY Startup Hub and Microsoft.
- Goal in Gujarat: train and engage up to 3 lakh youth over a three-year partnership.
- Subjects: applied AI, solar energy, electric vehicles and wind energy, plus an introduction to eco-friendly practices relevant to semiconductor manufacturing.
- Network: the Ahmedabad centre is one of five such centres planned by 1M1B and Microsoft with MeitY Startup Hub; one report says it is the fourth, after Bengaluru, Lucknow and Hyderabad.
- National target: the network aims to engage one lakh young people in applied AI and green skills by 2030.
- Reports differ slightly on the date; the inauguration took place in the last week of October.
Why It Matters
India's colleges are under pressure to prepare students for jobs that barely existed a decade ago. Two of the fastest-changing areas are artificial intelligence and clean energy. Industries from power to manufacturing are adopting AI tools, while solar, wind and electric vehicles are creating demand for technicians and engineers with new skills. A centre that combines the two inside a government engineering college gives students practical exposure that regular syllabuses often lack.
The location matters too. L.D. College of Engineering is a government engineering college, so placing the centre there means students who may not afford private training can access it. The centre's inclusion of eco-friendly practices in semiconductor manufacturing ties the training to chip-making as well as to clean energy.
The partnership model is also worth watching. The state government provides the institution and reach through the Gujarat Knowledge Society, Microsoft brings technology and training content, MeitY Startup Hub connects to the start-up ecosystem, and the 1M1B Foundation runs youth programmes. If the model works, it can be replicated in more colleges. A similar centre in Hyderabad has already been opened under the same network.
The goals differ by scale and should not be confused: the Gujarat partnership aims to reach up to three lakh young people over three years, while the five-centre national network targets one lakh young people by 2030.
Gujarat's Green Skills and Applied AI centre at a glance Item | Detail Location | L.D. College of Engineering, Ahmedabad Partners | Gujarat Knowledge Society, 1M1B, MeitY Startup Hub, Microsoft Gujarat target | Up to 3 lakh youth over three years Courses | Applied AI, solar, EVs, wind energy National network | Five centres, 1 lakh youth by 2030
Impact
Short-term: Students at L.D. College of Engineering and other institutions linked to the programme can start hands-on training in AI and clean-energy technologies.
Long-term: If the target is met, lakhs of young people in Gujarat could gain skills for jobs in renewable energy, electric mobility, semiconductors and AI-driven industries.
Who is affected: Engineering and polytechnic students in Gujarat, colleges under the Gujarat Knowledge Society, employers in clean energy and manufacturing, and young job seekers.
Key Takeaway
Gujarat's first Green Skills and Applied AI Centre of Excellence at L.D. College of Engineering aims to train up to three lakh young people in AI and clean-energy skills.
Questions and Answers
Where is Gujarat's Green Skills and Applied AI Centre of Excellence?
At L.D. College of Engineering in Navrangpura, Ahmedabad. It opened in the last week of October 2026.
Who set up the centre?
The Gujarat government, through the Gujarat Knowledge Society, with the 1M1B Foundation, MeitY Startup Hub and Microsoft.
What will students learn there?
Applied AI, solar energy, electric vehicles and wind energy, along with eco-friendly practices relevant to semiconductor manufacturing.
How many young people will the programme train?
The Gujarat partnership aims to train and engage up to three lakh youth over three years. The national network of five centres targets one lakh young people by 2030.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Aditi Kulkarni, Education WriterCovers Education and more for Peepals Bharat. All stories by Aditi Kulkarni
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Aditi Kulkarni is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
