Indian-Origin Couple Donates $20 Million to Create AI College in US Named After Them

An Indian-origin couple has donated $20 million to the University of North Texas (UNT), which will name a new college focused on artificial intelligence and advanced analytics after them.

College to Focus on AI, Advanced Analytics and Responsible Use

The Anuradha and Vikas Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics will serve as an academic hub focused on the development, application and responsible use of artificial intelligence, intelligent systems and data analytics, the university said on Tuesday.

The gift will create six permanent endowments supporting college leadership, student scholarships, professorships, entrepreneurship and incubation, advanced research and emerging technologies.

Programmes to Span AI, Cybersecurity and Data Science

The college will bring together programmes in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, advanced analytics, health informatics, information science, library science and learning technologies.

It will also connect faculty and students across disciplines through shared infrastructure, collaborative research and industry partnerships.

‘Investment in What Students Will Accomplish’

“Anu and I see this as an investment in what students will be able to imagine and accomplish in the years ahead,” Vikas Sinha said.

He said the college would go beyond teaching students how to use AI.

“It will prepare them to build it, understand it, question it, govern it and apply it responsibly -- developing both the builders and the stewards of intelligent systems,” he said.

Two Academic Divisions Planned

The college will have two academic divisions. The Division of Applied Intelligence and Informatics will focus on building and deploying intelligent systems.

The Division of Information and Learning Applications will study how information and intelligent systems work in human and institutional settings.

New Institute to Link AI Research Across UNT

A new Applied Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Institute will connect AI and analytics research and education across UNT.

The institute is expected to expand interdisciplinary research, shared infrastructure, external funding and partnerships with industry.

“Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how we work, conduct research and solve problems, and universities have an important responsibility to help shape what comes next,” UNT President Harrison Keller said.

Sinhas Came to US as International Students

The Sinhas moved to the United States from India after both earned bachelor's degrees in civil engineering from Sri Venkateswara University. They later earned graduate degrees from Florida Atlantic University.

Vikas Sinha subsequently attended Northwestern University before earning a PhD in information science from UNT in 2023.

He is vice president of the Mainframe Software Division at Broadcom and has served on the UNT College of Information Leadership Board since 2023.

Donation Builds on Earlier Support for UNT

“Education has opened doors for us throughout our lives, and we want to hold those doors open for others,” Vikas Sinha said.

He linked the donation to his experience as an international student, saying, “For us, this gift is about paying that opportunity forward and recognising that immigrants don't simply participate in the American dream -- they help build it.”

The latest donation builds on the Sinhas’ earlier support for UNT. In 2024, they helped establish the Anuradha and Vikas Sinha Department of Data Science and related endowments.

A year later, they made another major gift to establish the Sinha Innovation Lab for Data Science.

UNT Is a Public Research University in Texas

UNT is a public research university based in Denton, north of Dallas. Founded in 1890, it is part of the University of North Texas System.