Lucknow, Jan. 28 -- A two-day workshop 'AI Manthan 2026: Challenges and Opportunities of AI in Higher and Technical Education' began at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU) on Tuesday. The event is being jointly organised by AKTU and Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University (CSJMU), Kanpur. The inaugural session was presided over by governor Anandiben Patel, with Ashish Patel, technical education minister, and vice-chancellors from 27 state universities present. The governor emphasised that universities should actively seek solutions to problems faced by various government departments. She stressed the need for rapid formulation and implementation of new policies to keep pace with global changes. During the event, she also inspected an exhibition featuring AI-based start-ups and offered suggestions to young entrepreneurs. The workshop's primary objective is to build a robust ecosystem for AI-driven examination systems, paper setting, student counselling, and research across technical, medical, and agricultural universities in Uttar Pradesh. Prof Vinay Kumar Pathak, VC, CSJMU, announced that the Uttar Pradesh government is moving towards establishing a dedicated AI University, a move aimed at making the state a hub for innovation and research. Experts from various fields shared deep insights during the technical sessions. Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT (Govt. of India), highlighted that India is working on its own AI models to reduce dependency on global platforms. Prof PP Chakrabarti from IIT Kharagpur spoke on 'Atmanirbhar AI,' explaining how it can solve complex engineering problems and help preserve India's cultural heritage....