Aligning with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Make in India' a conclave for transforming India was organised in New Delhi in December last. Chosen intellectuals, educationists, industrialists, social workers were invited to participate in the conclave. Dr Achyuta Samanta participated in it as a panelist. listening to all that he has done for establishing the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in the year 1993 with 125 students and presently providing education to 25000 tribal children, both boys and girls, free of cost from KG to PG stage and his vision to educate two million tribal students by the next decade, everyone was thunderstruck. That Dr Samanta has been working tirelessly for social transformation through education was held by one and all.
On December 18, Dr Samanta was presented with the prestigious Think India Award for his work in the field of educational reforms. Another person who received the award was no other than Kailash Satyarthi, the Nobel laureate. Bindeswari Pathak the renowned social worker and founder of Sulav International, was also honoured.
Dr Samanta has also received the prestigious Gusi Peace Prize International for "Poverty alleviation through education and humanitarianism". His social work has received worldwide recognition, and by now he has received twenty-five honorary doctorates from different universities of India and abroad. Every country considers him as a person rendering service of the highest order for alleviation of poverty.
The KISS is a unique model of a free residential, educational institute that gives a decent life through comprehensive and complete education. In Bangladesh and Korea, the KISS model has been replicated. The Delhi Government has also established a school in the KISS pattern. A week ago, Dr Samanta had discussion with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who requested him to establish such a school in lucknow. Work is also in progress to establish KISS-model institutions in 10 other States of India. Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand are hopeful to start the school from academic year 2015-16.
Achyuta Samanta, known as a go-getter with a big heart, firmly believes that educating just one generation of tribal children can change the life of tribals from poverty to prosperity. The tribal community since ages has fallen victim to exploitation and oppression. Their poverty, deprivation and lack of education and skills have made them shy away from the mainstream.
The country's eastern region has been comparatively less developed over the years. One of the factors responsible for this is concentration of tribal people in the region who are more deprived compared to other sections of the society.
Under the dynamic leadership of Dr Samanta, a unique experiment to eradicate poverty through education has become successful. Every tribal child who enters the KISS returns to his family as an educated, economically independent and as an individual concerned for development of the society. World organisations like UNESCO, UNICEF, UNFPA and US Federal Government have associated themselves with various programmes of the KISS, which has come nearer to achieving some of the most important Millennium Development Goals. Activities and achievements of KISS students have attracted the attention of national and international media which are featured at frequent intervals in newspapers and magazines like the Time, Wall Street Journal, South China Morning Post, Reader's Digest and Asia Post. In SundayMumbai Mirror of March 15, 2015, eminent journalist Suhel Seth has captioned an article "Why India doesn't know Achyuta Samanta". He concludes, "It is time India celebrated Samanta's spirit which in essence is one of selflessness." He says, "The time for India to produce more Samantas has never been more acute. The Samantas give the India of today great hope. They care not for caste or creed or for gain or publicity but just for what they have set out to do."
People are not aware that Dr Samanta's name has a magical effect among tribals, specially the Maoists. A few years back, half a dozen of journalists who had dared to meet the ultras in the thick jungles of Kandhamals were asked whether they can arrange admission of their children at the KISS. Journalist Sampad Mohapatra talked to Dr Samanta over mobile. When hearing the voice of Dr Samanta and his assurance that any number of tribal children sent by them would be admitted in the KISS, the ultras were very happy and gave a royal treatment to the journalists. In Odisha, if the Maoist problem has declined it is due to the fact that thousands of children who have been educated in the KISS and their parents and guardians oppose any social change by violent means.
Dr Samanta, who is a bachelor, stays in a small rented house. He works at least 18 hours a day for 365 days of the year. When asked "Who is your inspiration", he humbly replies, "No one except God." People world over are watching this rising star in the Eastern horizon.
(Dr Mohanty is a former Vice-Chancellor, Utkal University of Culture. Mobile-9238300265)