IIT Madras launches research center focused on AI security and quantum computing
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras will pursue foundational work in cryptography, quantum algorithms, and secure digital systems through a newly established research center backed by a Rs 23 crore endowment.
The Arvind Raghunathan Centre for Theoretical Computer Science will address mathematical foundations of computation and tackle problems in cryptography, computational complexity, algorithms, and privacy in AI systems. The center aims to produce secure digital infrastructure and trustworthy AI applications.
IIT Madras alumnus Arvind Raghunathan, founder of Roc360 and House IQ, funded the center. He said his five years at IIT Madras fostered curiosity that motivated the investment.
Research priorities
Work will extend beyond traditional cybersecurity to include quantum computing, optimization theory, and AI theory. Researchers plan to develop new mathematical frameworks for next-generation cryptography, advance quantum algorithms, and design distributed systems for digital trust.
Near-term applications include secure AI systems, blockchain technologies, quantum-safe cryptography, and distributed computing systems. The center has set milestones for 2025-30 that include publishing research papers, mentoring scholars, and producing doctoral graduates.
Collaboration model
The center will bring together mathematicians, engineers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders through workshops and international partnerships. Prof. Shweta Agrawal, the center's coordinator, said the goal is to build a community addressing questions of global importance while developing mathematical talent in India.
The research is expected to strengthen India's capabilities in emerging technologies while contributing to global advances in theoretical computer science.
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