Bhubaneswar: A total of 302 students, including five Ph.D. scholars, received their degrees at the third convocation of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) Deemed to be University held here on Saturday.
Among esteemed guests attending the event were Odisha Governor Raghubar Das, Chhattisgarh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan, G20 Sherpa of India government and former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and internationally renowned Indian music composer and three-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej.
KISS-DU conferred Honoris Causa D.Litt. degrees on three distinguished personalities from different walks of life – Biswabhusan Harichandan, His Holiness Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, president & spiritual head, Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh, and Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief FinTech Officer, Monetary Authority of Singapore & Chairman, Board of Elevandi, Singapore.
“Dr Achyuta Samanta, the Founder of KIIT and KISS, has proved that no work is impossible if one has determination. KISS students have made Odisha proud time and again in the fields of academic achievements and sports,” said Odisha Governor Das.
Chhattisgarh Governor Harichandan said KISS is a praiseworthy initiative by Dr Samanta for the empowerment of tribal people.
“As conscious and educated citizens, you have the responsibility to ensure that even the poor and those living on the margins get benefits of equality before the law and other constitutional provisions, he told the graduates,” he said.
Kant said he had not seen academic institutions like KIIT & KISS in India and abroad.
Swami Saraswatiji noted that it was heartening to see 11 of the 15 medal recipients are girls as it’s a symbol of ‘new Bharat’.
“Through his struggles in early life, Dr Samanta has realised that life is not about ‘having more’ but about ‘being more’. He has given wings to your dreams to take off, and his commitment is admirable,” he told the graduates.
Tilottama Sabar of School of Indigenous Knowledge, Science & Technology, won the Founder’s Gold Medal for securing the highest CGPA.
