As many as 33 students belonging to the Bonda primitive tribal group from the Bonda Hills in Malkangiri district have been enrolled in the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) for higher education.
Coming from Khairiput, Bilasanipada, Padeiguda and Mudulipada of Bondaghati area, the students will pursue +2 courses in Arts, Science or Commerce. In the first phase, 21 of the 33 students, including five girls reached the campus on Tuesday. The Institute granted them admission on the request of the State Government under the supervision of Malkanagiri district administration.
On Tuesday, the students met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at his Secretariat chamber in the presence of SC and ST Development Minister lal Bihari Himirika, Secretary Sanjib Mishra and Director AB Otta and Malkanagiri MlA Manas Madkami.
Expressing their gratitude, the students thanked KISS Founder Dr Achyuta Samanta and the State Government for providing them a chance to pursue higher education in an institution like the KISS. Welcoming the students to the institute, Dr Samanta said “Given proper opportunity and grooming, the tribal students can perform at par with mainstream students”.