| A brief note on Achyuta Samanta |
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Truth is sometimes stranger than the fiction. How prophetic is this can be known from the saga of a poor man’s journey to opulence. Opulence is not for the self but for the people languishing in abject poverty surrounded by ignorance and neglect.
This century perhaps belongs to people like Achyuta Samanta who could brave adversities of life with ease, bleeding within yet putting up an infectious smile on the face. The sudden demise of his father while he was only 4 years old pushed Samanta to the walls, but penury and shattered childhood could not hold Achyuta back from getting scholarships to get his Masters in Chemistry and a job in 1987, thus proving everyone wrong that poverty can hold one back from shining and becoming a messiah for hundreds and thousands of people living in the lowest strata of the society.
Growing up with rice gruel and wild spinach in most inhospitable condition, Achyuta Samanta continued to walk the path, angels fear to tread.
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How Samanta decided to chase a dream was definitely awe-inspiring. In the process of creating a society sans poverty and ignorance, he emptied everything he had to create an institution what started as a Technical Training Centre in a two-room rented building in 1995 with a meager capital investment of Rs. 5000/-. It has now become a world-class state-of-the-art University. It is yet another fascinating story to know how this KIIT University stands as a testimony to the struggle, determination, and uncompromising attitude of not succumbing to pressure or corruption. Words fail to describe the success story of KIIT. Every brick of it speaks the struggle, Samanta made to make it recognized by the entire world. One has to see it to believe it.
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The goodwill, the fame and the resources mobilized through KIIT could have been used for self eulogy, personal gain or for fulfilling seemingly impossible aspirations. But Samanta used all those for creating an equitable world. The passion in Samanta for seeing an equitable society gave birth to a small school for the indigenous aborigines, living in the slums of Bhubaneswar in 1993. It has grown into the largest residential Institute of the world for 16,500 tribal children, culled from the poorest of the poor sections of the society. They are being provided with food, accommodation, healthcare and all other basic necessities of life absolutely free to pursue their studies from KG to PG and leave the school with a job in hand to become the ‘Change Agents’ of the society. Going by the records established by these children, it can be said that given scope, ‘the considered to be’ liabilities of the society can become the assets. Securing 100 percent results consecutively for the last 9 years in the examinations conducted by the State Board and Council, winning World Cup in Rugby Championship in London, the participation in Commonwealth and Asian Games are few examples to prove the point.
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‘Incredible’, ‘Unbelievable’, ‘Wow’ are the words used by the Policy Makers, Statesmen, Planners, Academicians, Nobel Laureates, Social Workers and Scientists who visit this unique Institution, KISS which indicates and shows the self-less dedication and passion of Dr. Samanta.
The passion for a holistic development of the society in every front made Samanta to give the world ‘Kadambini’ – the first ever family feature magazine, ‘Kathantara’, an award winning film depicting the struggle of man devastated by the unprecedented natural calamities and the transformation of his remote Village and Panchayat in to a ‘Model’ one by providing all facilities and amenities of city life.
How such a thing was made possible by a man without any financial backing or help from others, the answer lies in the personality of Samanta who is a self-less bachelor, without any personal agenda and luxury for himself. The personal conviction of Samanta and his sacrifice for a cause made all the difference and there is no reason to disbelief that Samanta is on the threshold of becoming the harbinger of a new era. Recognitions from all corners, to be chosen as an Icon of Odisha twice in 2007 and 2011 by two national media houses, prizes, honorary Doctorates and accolades from national & international bodies, continue to pour in for him but he still forges ahead to empower at least 2 million tribal children through education within a decade. |
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