The Business Bytes
Bhubaneswar, September 20, 2024 (TBB Bureau): The City University of New York (CUNY) has announced the establishment of a research institute named after Dr. Achyuta Samanta. This new initiative will provide the U.S. students with the opportunity to explore Odisha’s rich art and heritage, as well as Dr. Samanta’s contributions to the socio-economic development of indigenous communities and his achievements in education.
The center will be known as ‘The Achyuta Samanta India Initiative of The CUNY CREST Institute (ASIICCI) at City University of New York’ and will be inaugurated next month by Dr. Samanta. The announcement was made by Dr. Milton Santiago, President of Bronx Community College, who extended an invitation to Dr. Samanta for the inauguration.
CUNY, a public institution comparable to the University of Delhi, comprises 25 colleges and serves a diverse student body from 122 countries. The idea for the institute arose following a visit by CUNY officials to KIIT and KISS, where they were inspired by Dr. Samanta’s achievements in education and his dedication to serving marginalized populations.
Accepting the invitation, Dr. Samanta expressed his gratitude and excitement, stating, “This institute is a testament to the work we’ve done at KIIT and KISS. I believe it will encourage more research and understanding of Odisha’s culture and my journey.”
Dr. Santiago emphasized the university’s mission: “Education is the key to lifting people out of poverty, and we strive to never turn anyone away.” During the event, Alexander McLaren, Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad, highlighted the importance of fostering educational ties between the U.S. and India.
Prof. Peter Groffman, a leading researcher at CUNY with 66,000 citations to his credit, stressed the significance of international collaboration in addressing global challenges such as climate change.
Other speakers included Sita Raiter, Public Diplomacy Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai; Prof. Paramita Sen and Prof. Neal Phillip from Bronx Community College; Salil Kader, Advisor for Strategic Planning & Public Engagement at the U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad; and Prof. Saranjit Singh, Vice Chancellor of KIIT DU.
