Achyuta Samanta

Achyutananda Samanta ((1965-04-19)April 19, 1965) is a social entrepreneur and philanthropist of Art of Giving in the Indian state of Odisha. He is the founder of KIIT Group of Institutions which includes KiiT University, Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), KIIT International School, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), KIIT School of Management (KSOM), KIIT School of Rural Management (KSRM), KIIT School of Computer Application (KSCA), KIIT School of Biotechnology (KSBT), KIIT Law School (KLS), KIIT School of Languages (KSOL), Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences (KIDS), Kalinga Polytechnic and Kalinga Institute of Nursing Sciences (KINS).^[2]

Biography

Samanta was born to Shri Anadi Charan Samanta and Smt. Nilima Rani Samanta in the village of Kalarabanka in Cuttack District of Odisha in 1965. His father died when Achyutananda Samanta was four, and he grew up in abject poverty with his widowed mother.

Samanta received an M.Sc in Chemistry from Utkal University. He had decade-long experience in teaching in colleges, mostly at Maharshi College under Utkal University, in Bhubaneswar.^[3]

Occupation

Dr. Achyuta Samanta in the Founder, Ex Chancellor and Secretary of KiiT University, Founder of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), KIIT International School, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), KIIT School of Management (KSOM), KIIT School of Rural Management (KSRM), KIIT School of Computer Application (KSCA), KIIT School of Biotechnology (KSBT), KIIT Law School (KLS), KIIT School of Languages (KSOL), Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences (KIDS) and Kalinga Polytechnic. Secretary of Kalinga Relief & Charitable Trust, National Secretary of Gandhi Global Family (GGF) and Vice President of Bharat Scouts and Guides, Odisha

He is the General Body Member, Council for Advancement of People's Action & Rural Technology (CAPART), New Delhi, Regional Committee and Member of University Grants Commission (UGC), Executive Committee Member of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Academic Council Member of Central University of Orissa, Serving Member of National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), Coir Board of India, National Executive Council Member, Indian Society for Technical Education, Executive Committee Member, Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), International Association of University Presidents (IAUP), United States of America, Institute of International Education (IIE), New York, Association of University of Asia Pacific (AUAP), University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific (UMAP), Bangkok, Thailand, Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health (APACPH), United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI), and Asia Economic Forum (AEF).

Awards and records

Samanta received a number of awards, and created new records in the field of social entrepreneurship. Samanta has been mentioned among the Top 15 Social Entrepreneurs of the World by the American Edge Foundation.^[4] Samanta appears in The Limca Book of Records as the youngest chancellor of any University in India.

Awards

Receiving Jawaharlal Nehru Award

Receiving Priya Oriya Award

• Hall of Fame Award presented by World CSR Congress, New Delhi - 2015
• Successful Entrepreneur Award at Economic Times Entrepreneurship Summit 2015, New Delhi - 2015
• Civilian Award by Jan Mládek, Industry & Trade Minister of Czech Republic, Vladimír Bärtl, Deputy Minister of Industry & Trade Minister of Czech Republic and M. Stašek, Ambassador of Czech Republic to India at Czech Embassy, New Delhi - 2015
• Think India Award by Think Media at Transforming India Conclave 2014, New Delhi - 2014
• Honorary Fellowship Award by Computer Society of India (CSI), Hyderabad, India - 2014
• Visista Puraskar from 24th Annual Awards - 2014
• Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Award, Moscow, Russia - 2014
• Gusi Peace Prize International, Manila, Philippines - 2014
• Honorary Doctorate of Letters (D.Litt) from Chosun University, South Korea - 2014
• Honorary Ph.D from Roshdiyeh Higher Education, Tabriz, Iran - 2014
• ‘2013 World of Difference Awards’ by US-based International Alliance for Women (TIAW) - 2014
• Honorary Doctorate of Letters (D.Litt) from International University of Kyrgyzstan - 2014
• Honorary Doctorate of Letters (D.Litt) from Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh - 2014
• Lifetime Achievement in Education Leadership 2013 Presented by Education World 2013
• Kumara Shri 2013 Samman from 'YOUTH', for exemplary work in the field of Education & Social Service - 2013
• The Highest Prize of Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CULS) - A Sculpture of Honour of the Goddess of Harvest OPS - Prague, Czech Republic - 2013
• Utkalshree Award 2012
• 15th Bhagwan Mahaveer Award
• Honorary Doctorate for Dr. Samanta by National Formosa University, Taiwan - 2012
• Qimpro Platinum Standard 2011 Award for Education - 2012
• Jawaharlal Nehru Award 2012 - 2012
• Dainik Bhaskar India Pride Award 2011 for being a Change Agent in the field of Social Development and Equity - 2011
• D.Litt. Degree (Honoris Causa) from Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha (Central University), Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh - 2011
• Godfrey Phillips Bravery Award (Social Bravery Award) in recognition of an exceptional Act of Courage - 2011
• ICON of Odisha 2011 by Times of India - 2011
• Rajdhani Gaurav Samman - 2011
• Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore Samman - in recognition of Outstanding Services, Achievements and Contributions - 2011
• 'Ruchi Odisha Gaurav Samman' 2011 - 2011
• National Young EDGE Award - Emerging Direction in Global Education (EDGE) for outstanding contribution in Education - 2010
• Asia’s Best Social Entrepreneur Award by the World HRD Congress conferred on 23 July 2010, Singapore - 2010
• Swami Vivekananda National Award by the Department of Youth Services and Sports, Government of Karnataka - 2010
• Degree of Honoris Causa from Hanseo University, South Korea - 2010
• Gandhi Seva Medal by Gandhi Global Family in recognition of Philanthropic and Charitable works for the Downtrodden - 2009
• Degree of Honorary Doctorate (Honoris Causa) from National University of Cambodia - 2009
• Nominated for International WISE Awards, Qatar Foundation, Doha - 2009
• Priya Odiya Samman 2007 (Most Endeared Personality in Odisha) through a survey by a National TV Channel - 2007
• Placed within 15 best Social Entrepreneur of the world by Social Edge, an offshoot of Skoll Foundation - 2007
• Youngest Chancellor of any University in India (Limca Book of Records - 2007) - 2007
• Humanitarian Award from Mahatma Gandhi Remembrance Organization, Johannesburg, South Africa - 2004
• Honorary Ph.D (2002) and D.Sc (2005) from Open International University, Colombo
• Received Awards from Scotland Colleges for Exemplary Work for the Indigenous People
• First Oriya to receive International Award for Outstanding Social Work by the Indian Embassy, Muscat, Oman
• Received ‘Certificate of Excellence’ in the field of Social Work from the Minister of International Affairs, Government of Combodia ^[5]

References