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CUNY establishes ‘Achyuta Samanta India Initiative’
It becomes the first U.S.-based research institute named after an Indian.
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Bhavana P - Thu, 22, May 2025
- 15:11 EDT
- 7
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Dignitaries inaugurating the research institute / KIIT
The City University of New York (CUNY) has inaugurated a research institute named after Indian educationist and social reformer Dr. Achyuta Samanta.
The newly launched ‘Achyuta Samanta India Initiative CUNY Crest Institute’ (ASIICCI) becomes the first U.S.-based research institute named after an Indian, marking a landmark moment for India and Samanta’s native state of Odisha.
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Inaugurated in New York on May 20, the institute will focus on research into Odisha’s rich art, heritage, and tribal communities, while highlighting Samanta’s transformative work in education and social upliftment. The centre aims to connect American students with India’s indigenous cultures and empower cross-cultural academic exchange.
Samanta, founder of the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), was also conferred with the Presidential Medal, CUNY’s highest recognition, reserved for individuals of exceptional global impact. The award acknowledges his humanitarian efforts through the two institutions, which have empowered over 80,000 tribal children with access to quality education, dignity, and opportunity.
Samanta called it a moment of immense pride for Odisha and India, and hopes that the institute would encourage greater research and understanding of Odisha's art, literature, and culture, as well as his own work.
The idea for the institute was conceived during CUNY Bronx Community College president Milton Santiago’s recent visit to KIIT and KISS in Bhubaneswar. Moved by Samanta’s mission, Santiago proposed the establishment of the institute, a proposal unanimously approved by the CUNY board.
Santiago remarked, "The Achyuta Samanta India Initiative will help American students from diverse backgrounds understand and engage with India's tribal communities, cultural roots, and one of the world's most impactful educational models."
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