In the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) of 2019, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Odisha occupied the second spot and this year, they have shot right to the top in the Private/Deemed Universities category, much to the delight of Dr Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS). "Last year itself we were hoping that we will be number one in 2020 and we have! This is the result of each and everyone who has contributed to the growth of KIIT, right from staff to faculty and even students and parents. This news brings us immense happiness," says Dr Samanta, calling the climb the true story of their growth.
The MP of Kandhamal reminds us that it was in the year 2003 that they received an A Grade from both NAAC and AICTE and since then, they have been maintaining it. "Similarly, we will try to maintain our ARIIA 2020 rankings too. We are a growing university, not an old one, so we will maintain the parameters we have set for ourselves and try to increase it as well," he says. What really has been working for them, as per the 55-year-old, is their focus on innovation, research, publishing more papers, acquiring a number of patents, collaborations and various centres of excellence. Then there is the aspect of industry interaction that has always been their focus.
Congratulating everyone from the KIIT family, Dr Samanta also draws our attention to the welfare work they have been doing in the ongoing times of Corona. They have also announced that they will offer free education to any child whose parent has succumbed to COVID for two academic sessions, depending on their academic eligibility. He also asks us to expect national champion and KIIT alumna Dutee Chand to be awarded the Arjuna Award this year, the formal announcement of which will be made tomorrow.
