US research institute named after Dr Achyuta Samanta

New Delhi: The City University of New York (CUNY) has named a newly established research institute after Dr Achyuta Samanta, a well-known educationist. The "Achyuta Samanta India Initiative CUNY Crest Institute" (ASIICCI) was inaugurated in New York earlier this week.

The institute will support research by American students on Odisha’s art and heritage. It will also focus on Dr Samanta’s work in education and tribal development.

The initiative was proposed by Dr Milton Santiago, president of Bronx Community College under CUNY, after his recent visit to KIIT and KISS in Bhubaneswar. Impressed by Dr Samanta’s work, Dr Santiago suggested naming the institute after him.

At the inauguration, Dr Santiago said, “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.”

D Samanta said it was an honour to have an institute in the US named after him. He said the recognition was a matter of pride for Odisha, KIIT, and KISS.

CUNY, a 175-year-old public university, has more than 3,00,000 students and includes 25 colleges. It has students from 122 countries.