NEW YORK, 24 May: The City University of New York (CUNY) in the United States has named a newly established research institute after well-known educationist Dr Achyuta Samanta. The institute, titled the Achyuta Samanta India Initiative CUNY Crest Institute (ASIICCI), was inaugurated here on Tuesday.
This is the first time a research institute in the US has been named after an Indian. 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.
At the inauguration ceremony, President of Bronx Community College under CUNY, Dr Milton 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.”
At the event, Dr 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. He dedicated the honour to the people of Odisha and the KIIT-KISS community.
CUNY, a 175-year-old public university in the US, has more than 3,00,000 students and includes 25 colleges. It has students from 122 countries.
Dr Samanta was also awarded the university’s highest honour, the Presidential Medal, during the event.