Nagpur School Unveils ‘Vedanti’, Maharashtra’s First AI Teacher, with Vidarbha’s First AI-Robotics Lab

A school in Nagpur has brought an artificial intelligence (AI) teacher into its classrooms. Pujaniya Golwalkar Guruji AI Public School and Junior College in Abhyankarnagar has introduced ‘Vedanti’, described as the first AI teacher in Maharashtra, alongside a new AI-Robotics Lab that was inaugurated on Friday, 30 October 2026.

School officials said the lab is meant to build scientific temper, research aptitude and a habit of innovation among students, by giving them hands-on exposure to robotics, AI and other emerging technologies rather than limiting them to textbook learning.

First of its kind in Vidarbha

Secondary Education Officer Anil Dahiphale, who inaugurated the facility as chief guest, said it is not only the first AI-based lab in Nagpur but also the first of its kind in the wider Vidarbha region. He encouraged students across the city to make use of it, saying that turning ideas into working solutions and preparing for future technology challenges is now essential.

During the launch, Vedanti, a humanoid figure dressed in a saree, answered a series of questions put to it by the guests. The visitors also toured the lab and reviewed experiments and projects developed by students.

Principal Dr Vandana Badwaik said the lab’s main purpose is to move students beyond conventional classroom teaching towards skill-based learning through practical experiments, robotics and modern technology. Ramesh Bakshi of Bharatiya Vidya Prasarak Sanstha, the management body, said the school is running several initiatives so that every student develops strong problem-solving abilities.

Office bearers of Bharatiya Vidya Prasarak Sanstha, including Sunil Khankhoje, Shubhangi Futane, Lalit Tapase, Mohan Sathe and Gunwant Abhyankar, attended the programme. Dr Badwaik and students Yash and Snehal were felicitated for their work in setting up the lab.

Why it matters

The launch reflects a growing trend of schools, including private and government institutions in several states, setting up dedicated AI and robotics labs as AI literacy moves into the school curriculum under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Facilities like this give school students early, practical familiarity with how AI systems work, which can make later learning in computational thinking and AI far more concrete.

The open questions for such initiatives are less about novelty and more about use: how regularly students get lab time, how teachers are trained to integrate AI tools into everyday lessons, and how schools teach students to question and verify what an AI system tells them.