Bhubaneswar: Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) Deemed to be University honoured its Olympians who excelled at Tokyo recently.
Paralympics gold medal-winning shuttler Pramod Bhagat, who has been associated with KIIT for long, was felicitated for his outstanding and unique achievements. Dr Achyuta Samanta, Founder, KIIT & KISS, presented him a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.
In a rare honour, KIIT has decided to name the Indoor Stadium at Campus 12 — where he used to practise — as ‘Pramod Bhagat Indoor Stadium’.
Pramod will also be granted an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters (D. Litt.) from KIIT or KISS Deemed to be University. Before becoming the first Odia to clinch Paralympics gold, Pramod won gold medal in World Badminton meet and many other medals for the state and country.
KIIT also announced that the synthetic athletics stadium in the campus will be named as ‘Dutee Chand Stadium’.
Odisha’s ace female sprinter became a double Olympian when she represented India at the Tokyo Olympics. Dutee, from KIIT School of Law, has bagged two silver medals in Asian Games, and had the distinction to be the first female Indian sportsperson to win gold medal in the World University Games.
Dutee’s name is also being considered for conferring an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters (D. Litt.) from KIIT or KISS Deemed to be University next year.
Another world champion Rakhal Sethy was presented a cheque for Rs 2.7 lakh for a wheelchair to participate in Fencing Para World Cup in November.
