NIT’s Kashmir Scholar Bags IndiaAI Fellowship for Research on Bias in AI Models | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: In a significant achievement for the region’s academic and research community, National Institute of Technology Srinagar has secured national recognition after its M-Tech scholar Womika Khan was awarded the prestigious IndiaAI Fellowship for 2025–26.

Womika, a student of Computer Science and Engineering, earned the fellowship for her research project titled “Trustworthy AI: Investigating and Mitigating Bias in Large Language Models”, being carried out under the supervision of Dr Tawseef Ayoub Shaikh.

The research focuses on identifying and reducing bias in artificial intelligence systems, a field that has gained increasing importance as AI technologies are rapidly being integrated into real-world decision-making processes across sectors.

Describing the selection as a major national-level accomplishment, Dr Tawseef said the fellowship reflects the growing research footprint of NIT Srinagar in advanced and emerging technology domains.

Director of the institute, Prof. Binod Kumar Kanaujia, termed the achievement a milestone for the institution and said NIT Srinagar was committed to strengthening a robust research and innovation ecosystem.

“Such accomplishments reinforce our position in emerging domains like artificial intelligence and motivate other students to pursue high-impact research,” he said.

Registrar of the institute, Prof. Atikur Rehman, said the fellowship highlights the academic depth and research quality being developed at the institute.

“This recognition is a testament to the quality of research being carried out at NIT Srinagar. It reflects the commitment of our scholars and faculty to address complex, real-world challenges through innovation,” he said.

Head of the Computer Science and Engineering Department, Dr. Shaima Qureshi, also congratulated the scholar and described the work as an important contribution toward building responsible and ethical AI systems.

“Research in trustworthy AI, particularly in mitigating bias in large language models, is essential to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in AI-driven technologies. This accomplishment reflects the department’s focus on meaningful and socially relevant innovation,” she said.

The IndiaAI Fellowship programme aims to nurture talent in artificial intelligence and strengthen India’s capabilities in next-generation technologies and advanced AI research.