Dr. Achyuta Samanta honored with new U.S. research institute in his name at City University of New York
City University of New York (CUNY) has opened a dedicated research platform - the Achyuta Samanta India Initiative of the CUNY Crest (ASIICCI) - in honor of noted Indian educationist and social worker Dr. Achyuta Samanta.
Dr. Milton Santiago, President of Bronx Community College, and Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT & KISS, jointly inaugurate the Achyuta Samanta India Initiative of CUNY CREST Institute (ASIICCI) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in New York.
Dr. Samanta is the founder of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), which offers a range of professional programs, and the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), which provides free education, accommodation, food, and healthcare to more than 40,000 indigenous children.
Dr. Samanta has been awarded 67 honorary degrees from universities across the world in recognition of his pioneering work ensuring marginalized communities have access to quality education.
Representatives from CUNY said Dr. Samanta’s work on integrating education and empowerment offers an example to institutions worldwide. The new research institute aims to provide scholars with an opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary research centred on India’s developmental challenges and contributions.
The new centre will also facilitate an in-depth study of Dr. Samanta’s educational model and how it manages to successfully integrate academic excellence and social impact. It aims to foster long-term academic engagement between Indian and American researchers.
The official inauguration and ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by senior academics including Dr. Milton Santiago, President of Bronx Community College, part of the wider CUNY organisation.
ASIICCI is thought to be unique that it honors a living Indian educator and has been noted in academic circles as a gesture of cross-cultural recognition.
