Noted educationist and founder of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Odisha, Dr Achyuta Samanta has been elected as the president of the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) for the year 2016-17.
ISCA’s incumbent president Ashok Kumar Saxena who is attending the ongoing 103rd Indian Science Congress at the University of Mysore, confirmed Samanta’s election, to Deccan Herald.
Expressing happiness over his election, Samanta said it is a good news for Odisha and he will work to highlight the state’s achievements in the fields of science and technology in India and abroad. “There is a misconception that people of other states are in the topmost positions of various apex educational bodies. Now, this misconception will change as Odisha has got a chance”, Samanta said.
Samanta is only the second person from Odisha to be elected as the president of the prestigious science body in its 102 years history, after a gap of 55 years. Previously, Prof Prana Krushna Parija, eminent scientist, had officiated as president of the 47th Session of the ISCA held in 1960 at Bombay.
Samanta has been the member of executive council of the ISCA since 2011. He set an example by organising 99th session of the Science Congress in 2012, which was held at KIIT University.
He has also been the member of many prestigious educational and other national level apex bodies, including UGC (2008-2014), AICTE, National Coir Board, CAPART, NCTE and members of academic councils of two Central Universities. He was the only person from Odisha to be the member of both UGC and AICTE.
At the ongoing Science Congress, Samanta was the chief guest of National Children’s Science Congress. Former president late Dr A P J Abdul Kalam used to grace the occasion as the chief guest for past many years.
In a related development, Prof P P Mathur, Vice-chancellor, KIIT University, has been elected as the general secretary of the ISCA for the term 2016-19.
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