Bhubaneswar: Dr. A. Samanta, Founder, KIIT & KISS was honoured with Swami Vivekananda National Award by the Department of Youth Services and Sports, Govt. of Karnataka on 21st September 2010. He was conferred the award for immense contribution towards providing free education, vocational training, residence and all basic necessities of life to 12,000 underprivileged tribal boys and girls through Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS).

Dr. Samanta was felicitated in a Youth Seminar conducted by Joint Co-ordination of Zilla Panchayat, Youth Service and Sports Department & State Youth Awarders Federation in Bijapur, Karnataka in the presence of Dr. D. C. Rajappa, IPS, Bijapur Superintendent of Police, Shri Arun Shahapur, Hon’ble Member of Legislative Council, Shri Punith Pradhan, National Youth Awardee, Shri R. B. Upase, Assistant Director, Youth Services & Sports Department, Govt. of Karnataka and Shri P. C. Rayulu, social worker from Andhra Pradesh.

Dr. Samanta has received wide recognition at national and international levels for establishing KIIT, a centre of excellence in professional education, and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), a path-breaking model of tribal empowerment through education.

He is also a member of UGC, AICTE and many other apex policy making bodies of Government of India.