Vi Foundation, in collaboration with DIET, launches AI Centre for Education in Varanasi

Vi Foundation, the CSR arm of Vodafone Idea, in collaboration with the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), today launched AI Centre for Education in Varanasi under its flagship Learning with Vodafone Idea- Gurushala project. The AI Centre aims to strengthen AI readiness among educators by equipping pre-service teachers with the knowledge and practical skills to understand, apply and integrate Artificial Intelligence meaningfully into classroom teaching.
By building AI literacy, the Centre aims to help pre-service teachers use AI as a thinking aid, so that they can equip themselves with essential skills in digital literacy, computational thinking and technology-enabled learning. Designed as an experiential learning space, the AI Centre extends learning beyond the classroom through a dedicated AI Showcase Page on the Gurushala platform, featuring self-paced learning modules, webinars, AI quizzes, competitions and other digital resources, making AI learning accessible to teachers, students and institutional partners.
Commenting on the launch, Ambika Khurana, Chief Regulatory & Corporate Affairs Officer, Vodafone Idea and Director, Vi Foundation, said, “AI is reshaping education, making it essential for educators to understand and adopt AI tools responsibly. Digital literacy is a critical component of the National Education Policy 2020 and National Curriculum Framework 2023. Established under Vi Foundation's Gurushala initiative and driven by our commitment to 'AI for All,' the AI Centre equips future teachers with the capabilities to meaningfully integrate AI into inclusive, engaging, and future-ready classrooms.”
By embedding the AI course into DIET’s core curriculum, this initiative establishes itself as a self-sustaining model managed entirely by the institute. The course is structured around four modules under the OneAI Education Framework – Decoding AI, Social Wonders of AI, Discovering My Journey with AI, and Security and Ethics of AI.
Held at DIET, Sarnath, Varanasi, the AI Centre was inaugurated in the presence of Dr. Daya Shankar Mishra, Minister of State – Ayush, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Prof. Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi - Vice Chancellor, Banaras Hindu University, Shri Umesh Shukla – DIET Principal and representatives from DIET, Vi Foundation and the Gurushala project team.
The event featured an overview of the Gurushala programme and its vision for AI in education, a keynote by the district administration, a special address by Dr. Daya Shankar Mishra, Minister of State – Ayush, Government of Uttar Pradesh, a live AI-enabled classroom demonstration, and interactions with teachers and students, highlighting the practical application of Artificial Intelligence in teaching and learning.
Through this initiative, Vi Foundation aims to reach 650 schools and over 68,000 teachers and students, pioneering a self-sustaining ecosystem for AI education that empowers future-ready educators to drive meaningful, ethical technology adoption.