Bhubaneswar : The 4th Annual Convocation of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS-DU) was held here today, recognizing academic excellence and transformative contributions of well-known individuals to the society.
The highlight of the day was the conferment of honorary D.Litt degrees upon three luminaries for their outstanding achievements and contributions. They are Padma Shri Dr. Mukesh Batra, Founder of Dr. Batra’s Group of Companies, a pioneer in homeopathy and healthcare and Padma Shri Mr. Savji Dholakia, Founder and Chairman of Hari Krishna Exports Pvt. Ltd., known for his leadership in the diamond industry and philanthropic initiatives. The other recipient was Dr. Pradipta Mohanty, Chairman of S.N. Mohanty Group of Companies, a stalwart in Odisha’s industrial and educational landscape.
The convocation also saw the award of 8 PhDs and 426 master’s degrees. Also Founder’s Gold Medal, 7 numbers Chancellor’s Gold Medal, and 7 numbers of Vice Chancellor’s Silver medals were given to the students for their outstanding performance.
In his convocation address, Former Minister of State for Schools and Former MP, UK Rt. Hon. Nick Gibb lauded KISS as “one of India’s top academic institutions” and emphasized the critical role of education in driving India’s economic growth. “Today, 43 million students are studying in Indian higher educational institutions,” he remarked, urging graduates to cultivate a lifelong love for learning.
Shri Dholakia, while receiving the honorary doctorate degree, gave the students 5 mantras for success. Always consider yourself the best, think that everything is possible for you, God is always with you, you can be victorious and today is a new day for you – he advised students to follow these 5 mantras with dedication. He said that this honor has inspired me to serve the society even more in the future.
Guest of Eminence, Rt. Hon. Alan Gammel, MP, UK, hailed Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KISS and KIIT, as “a true visionary and social transformer” for his relentless dedication to empowering marginalized communities through education.
Dr. Jeffrey B. Liebman, Robert W. Scrivner Professor of Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, USA, underscored KISS’s unique mission. “KISS stands out for educating all Indians, especially children from downtrodden sections of society,” he said, commending the institute’s inclusive approach to learning.
Apart of the Founder, KIIT & KISS Dr. Achyuta Samanta, the convocation was attended by the Vice President of KIIT & KISS Umapada Bose, Secretary R. N. Dash, Chancellor of KISS DU Satya Tripathi, Pro Chancellor Prof Amreswar Galla, VC Prof Deepak Kumar Behara, and Registrar Dr P K Routray.