Bhubaneswar: KIIT and KISS Founder Dr Achyuta Samanta unveiled the statue of Biju Patnaik at the KISS campus here on Sunday to mark the former Odisha CM’s 107th birth anniversary.
“Today the entire state is celebrating the late leader’s birth anniversary. His contribution to the development of Odisha is immense. We are paying our respect to his life and work with the unveiling of this statue,” Dr Samanta said.
The statue has been set up along with those of other great personalities like Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Gopabandhu Das, Madhusudan Das, Dr B R Ambedkar and others.
Dr Samanta remembered the legendary leader who had a cherished dream of tribal and women empowerment, and offering education here in Bhubaneswar.
“We fulfilled his desire with the establishment of KISS to provide education to the tribal students”.
Dr Samanta also spoke about the Biju Patnaik Indoor Stadium at KIIT campus, which was recently inaugurated by his son and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik.
A Chair in the name of Biju Patnaik has also been set up and it is conducting various research activities, Dr Samanta informed.
Among others present on the occasion were Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (Kolkata) Director Himanshu Khatua, KIIT & KISS Secretary RN Dash, KIIT DU VC Prof. Sasmita Samanta; KISS DU VC Prof. Deepak Behera, KIIT International Relations DG Debraj Pradhan, KISS DG Dr Kanhu Mahali, KIMS-Bhubaneswar Principal Dr Ambika Prasad Mohanty and professors of different Chairs of KISS.
