The University of North Texas (UNT) has named its new artificial intelligence and advanced analytics college after Indian-origin couple Anuradha and Vikas Sinha following their $20 million (approximately ₹190 crore) donation to the university.
The institution will be known as the Anuradha and Vikas Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics. The college will focus on the development, application and responsible use of artificial intelligence, intelligent systems and data analytics.
The donation will establish six permanent endowments supporting college leadership, student scholarships, endowed professorships, entrepreneurship and incubation, advanced research and emerging technologies.
UNT's New AI college to cover multiple disciplines
The new college will bring together programmes and expertise spanning artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, advanced data analytics, health informatics, information science, library science and learning technologies.
It will also serve as a university-wide hub for AI and analytics research and education, connecting faculty and students across disciplines through shared infrastructure, collaborative research opportunities and industry partnerships.
Commenting on the contribution, Vikas Sinha said the couple viewed it as an investment in the next generation of students and AI professionals.
“Anu and I see this as an investment in what students will be able to imagine and accomplish in the years ahead,” said Vikas Sinha (’23 Ph.D.). “Artificial intelligence will be one of the defining technologies of our generation, and universities have an essential role to play in preparing the people who will shape its future. What excites us about UNT’s vision is that this college will go beyond teaching students how to use AI. It will prepare them to build it, understand it, question it, govern it and apply it responsibly, developing both the builders and the stewards of intelligent systems.”
The university said the interdisciplinary approach will support its efforts to connect education and research with the changing needs of employers in Texas and provide students with opportunities to work with emerging technologies.
Two academic divisions and new AI institute
The college, in coordination with the Office of the Provost, is being organised into two academic divisions, the Division of Applied Intelligence and Informatics and the Division of Information and Learning Applications.
The Division of Applied Intelligence and Informatics will focus on building and deploying intelligent systems, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, advanced analytics and health informatics.
The Division of Information and Learning Applications will focus on the role of information and intelligent systems in human and institutional contexts, including information science, library science and learning technologies.
The college will also house the Applied Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Institute. The institute will connect AI and analytics research and education across UNT and support interdisciplinary research, shared infrastructure, external research funding and industry partnerships.
UNT said the institute will also strengthen its capacity to compete for research funding at a time when Texas is increasing investment in public research universities through the Texas University Fund.
Vikas Sinha earned PhD from UNT in 2023
Vikas Sinha earned his PhD in information science with a concentration in data science from UNT in 2023. He is currently vice president of the Mainframe Software Division at Broadcom and has served on the UNT College of Information Leadership Board since 2023.
Sinha and Anuradha came to the US from India after completing bachelor's degrees in civil engineering from Sri Venkateswara University. Both later earned graduate degrees from Florida Atlantic University. Vikas subsequently studied at Northwestern University before earning his PhD from UNT.
Their latest contribution builds on several years of involvement with the university.
In 2024, the couple donated to establish the Anuradha and Vikas Sinha Department of Data Science, along with endowments supporting scholarships, faculty, research and special initiatives. In 2025, they made another major contribution to establish the Sinha Innovation Lab for Data Science.
'Education Changed The Trajectory Of My Life'
Sinha said his own experience as an international student in the US influenced the couple's decision to invest in education.
“Education has opened doors for us throughout our lives, and we want to hold those doors open for others,” Vikas said.
“Education changed the trajectory of my life. When I came to America as an international student, someone invested in me before they knew what I might someday accomplish. That experience has stayed with me, and it is a large part of why Anu and I believe so strongly in what UNT can make possible for students including those who may come here from another country carrying the same ambition and belief in education that we once did. For us, this gift is about paying that opportunity forward and recognising that immigrants don’t simply participate in the American dream, they help build it.”
The couple said their experience was an example of how educational opportunities received by immigrants can eventually translate into opportunities created for others.
UNT President highlights role of International Students
UNT President Harrison Keller said the new college would strengthen the university's position in AI education and research.
“Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how we work, conduct research and solve problems, and universities have an important responsibility to help shape what comes next,” said UNT President Harrison Keller, Ph.D.
The Anuradha and Vikas Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics positions UNT to lead in that work. Vikas and Anu’s commitment will create new opportunities for our students and faculty to build, study and apply these technologies while advancing central priorities of our Look North: UNT 2030 strategic plan, reshaping how we prepare students for a changing labor market, accelerating interdisciplinary research and innovation, and creating enduring value for North Texas and the state.”
Keller also highlighted the broader contribution of international students to American universities.
“International students come to our universities to learn, but their impact extends far beyond the degrees they earn,” Keller said. “They contribute ideas, build companies, create jobs, lead communities, and create opportunities for the generations who follow them. Vikas and Anu’s story is a powerful example of what can begin when a talented student chooses UNT.”
Dean Kinshuk, who will lead the Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics, said the donation would support students, faculty, research, entrepreneurship and partnerships with industry.
UNT plans to mark the establishment of the college with a university celebration later this year, bringing together the Sinha family, students, faculty, university leaders and community members.
