Bhubaneswar: Former diplomat Sujan Chinoy, Director General of the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), inaugurated the 13th edition of the Model United Nations (MUN) at KIIT International School (KiiTIS) on Saturday.
The two-day conference, which will see young minds from across the country deliberate on global issues, aims to foster critical thinking, diplomacy and leadership skills among students, providing them with a platform to understand international relations and collaborate on solutions to global challenges.
Around 1,500 students from nearly 100 schools across major cities like Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata are participating in this year’s MUN, school principal Sanjay Suar, informed.
Addressing the students, Chinoy shared his long association with KIIT and its founder Dr Achyuta Samanta.
He recalled a visit two decades ago when Samanta had brought a team of young rugby players from his institutions to Australia. Despite rugby not being a traditional Indian strength, the students performed exceptionally well, underscoring the power of vision, discipline and encouragement, Chinoy pointed out.
“There is no substitute for industriousness. Even a lion must rise and hunt… success does not come on its own,” Chinoy said, urging students to imbibe these qualities in their lives.
He stressed that collective effort and shared vision are essential, noting that achievements of great institutions are always the result of strong teamwork.
Samanta hailed Chinoy’s distinguished diplomatic career spanning over four decades and his expertise in international relations, defence and policy-making.
He noted that the institutions have made significant strides in sports and education, with KIIT having produced 24 Olympians and contributing substantially to India’s medal tally in international events such as the World University Games and Asian Athletics Championships.
Samanta also mentioned that KIIT students recently secured multiple medals at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and have performed well consistently in national competitions like the Khelo India University Games.