Lucknow, 17 July 2026: As artificial intelligence reshapes industries and the transition to a green economy accelerates, the 1M1B Foundation (One Million for One Billion), in partnership with Microsoft, MeitY Startup Hub, and the Government of Uttar Pradesh, today inaugurated the state's first Centre for Green Skills & Applied AI at the University of Lucknow Main Campus.
The centre was inaugurated by Prof. Jai Prakash Saini, Vice-Chancellor, University of Lucknow, along with Manav Subodh, Founder & CEO, 1M1B Foundation; Aneesha Avrachan, Programme Manager - CSR, Microsoft; and Prof. (Dr.) Puneet Misra, HoD, Computer Department, University of Lucknow, in the presence of senior government, academic, and industry leaders.
Shri Sunil Kumar Sharma, Hon'ble Cabinet Minister for Information Technology & Electronics, Government of Uttar Pradesh, addressed the gathering through a video message and conveyed his best wishes for the Centre, appreciating the initiative to equip youth with future-ready skills in Applied AI and Green Skills.
The Centre has been established to equip young people with Applied AI and Green Skills, enabling them to develop practical solutions for climate and sustainability challenges while preparing for careers in the emerging green economy.
The Lucknow Centre is the third of five centres being established by 1M1B Foundation and Microsoft, in collaboration with MeitY Startup Hub. Following Bengaluru and Hyderabad, additional centres will be launched in Noida and Shillong, creating a nationwide ecosystem for Applied AI, climate innovation, and future-ready skills.
Collectively, the five centres aim to engage 100,000 youth by 2030, creating pathways to 50,000 jobs, internships, apprenticeships and entrepreneurial opportunities across India. In the first year alone, the initiative will train 20,000 learners, connect 10,000 of them with career opportunities, and support the development of 50 AI-powered climate innovation use cases across the country. The Lucknow Centre will engage over 5,000 youth in its first year.
Expressing his delight on this historic occasion, Prof. J.P. Saini, Vice-Chancellor, University of Lucknow, said: "The establishment of Uttar Pradesh's first Centre for Green Skills & Applied AI at our main campus, in collaboration with 1M1B and Microsoft, is a matter of great pride for the University of Lucknow. The Centre further strengthens our commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and future-orientated education. It will provide students with hands-on learning and industry-aligned opportunities in emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence, Green Skills, and Sustainability. In line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, this initiative will not only enhance the employability of our youth but also prepare them to become innovators, entrepreneurs, and responsible leaders committed to society and the environment."
Manju Dhasmana, Senior Director – Elevate CSR, Microsoft, said:
"Microsoft is proud to support the Government of Uttar Pradesh's vision of building an AI-forward and future-ready state. The Lucknow Centre of Excellence represents an important milestone in building a future-ready talent pipeline by equipping youth with in-demand AI and Green Skills while enabling locally relevant solutions for climate challenges."
Speaking on the occasion, Manav Subodh, Founder & CEO, 1M1B Foundation, said:
"90% AI is where India's AI dividend will be created. The future belongs to the millions who can apply AI, not just the few who build it. The Green Skills & Applied AI Centre in Lucknow is our commitment to equipping Uttar Pradesh's youth with the AI and green skills needed to power the state's manufacturing, clean energy, and emerging industries, creating sustainable livelihoods and accelerating India's AI-powered green economy."
Unlike conventional skilling programmes, the Centre is designed as an innovation and workforce development hub, where learners will apply AI to solve challenges across renewable energy, electric mobility, climate resilience, agriculture, manufacturing, and the circular economy. Equipped with dedicated Solar, EV, Wind Energy, and Applied AI learning zones, it will offer hands-on training, industry projects, innovation cohorts, internships, entrepreneurship support, and incubation opportunities, complemented by 1M1B's job fairs and employer engagement programmes.
The centres are being implemented by 1M1B Foundation, with Microsoft supporting the initiative through AI technologies, digital learning resources, employee mentorship, innovation challenges, and capacity-building as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.
About 1M1B (One Million for One Billion)
1M1B (One Million for One Billion) is a United Nations–accredited non-profit founded by Manav Subodh that has spent the past decade mobilising and skilling young people to drive large-scale social and environmental impact.
With programmes running in 5,000+ schools and colleges, 25,000+ teachers trained, and 900,000+ youth skilled, 1M1B is building India's future-ready AI and Green Skills talent with a strong focus on Tier 3 towns and rural India. 1M1B's Job Melas and placement drives have achieved a 70% employment rate, directly connecting rural youth to meaningful livelihoods.
At the global stage, 1M1B is showcasing India's soft power by transforming the country's youth dividend into a climate dividend and an AI dividend. Through the Youth Climate Diplomacy 2026 programme, 1M1B is creating a new wave of Climate Fellows to advocate for keeping global warming under 1.5°C, culminating at the 1M1B Impact Summit at the United Nations in Geneva in November 2026.
