An institute on the lines of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Bhubaneswar will be set up in Tamil Nadu soon. Founder of KIIT & KISS, Dr. Achyuta Samanta will meet and discuss regarding establishment of a branch of KISS in the State with Selvi J. Jayalalithaa, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The new institute will be known as KISS-Tamil Nadu and it will work for the upliftment of poor underprivileged tribal children of the state, informed Dr. Samanta at a press meet in Chennai. A branch of KISS is already successfully functioning in Delhi.
KISS is a sister concern of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University, which has become one of the most promising universities in eastern part of India since its establishment in 1997. KISS, a home for 25,000 tribal children, has been accorded Special Consultative Status by the United Nations (UN), he informed. It is world’s largest fully-free-fully-residential tribal institute. The institute provides holistic education from KG to PG along with comprehensive vocational and life skills training to students belonging to the poorest of the poor indigenous communities from Odisha and the neighboring states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, etc.
KIIT University is a multi-disciplinary university having global visibility with ‘A’ Category status, granted by the Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India, Grade ‘A’ granted by NAAC, and ‘Tier 1’ Accreditation (Washington Accord), granted by NBA of AICTE. It offers a wide range of technical, professional and medical education with 2000-bedded super specialty hospital (attached to medical college). The KIIT campus spreads over an area of 25 sq. kms and comprises at present 12,000,000 sq. ft of total built-up area. The University has 22 contiguous lush green campuses. KIIT University has students’ strength of 25,000 who come from India and abroad, including European countries and USA.
Dr.Samanta is well known in the country as a dedicated educationist and social activist. He has achieved this success due to his personal efforts and struggle since his childhood. Dr. Samanta has assumed charge as the President of the prestigious Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) recently. He was elected to the position at the 103rd session of the Indian Science Congress in Mysuru in January. He is the President Elect for the year 2016-17 and will assume office for the year 2017-18. He has also been the member of many prestigious educational and other national level apex bodies, including UGC (2008-2014), AICTE, National Coir Board, CAPART, NCTE and members of academic councils of two Central Universities.
Recently, Dr. Samanta has been honoured with two awards namely ‘NIQR – Bajaj Auto Outstanding Quality Man Award 2016’ in Chennai on June 11, 2016’ and ‘Pride of India Award 2016’ on June 12. The ‘Outstanding Quality Man Award’ seeks to recognize individuals who have excelled in their sphere of activities. The Pride of India Award was conferred on Dr. Samanta for his outstanding contribution towards upliftment of tribal community of the country through education