Odia Girl Tops in National level Essay & Quiz Competition Organised by KIIT

Apramita Chand, a student of Chemistry PG, Utkal University, won the first prize in All India Senior level Essay and Quiz competition, which was organized by KIIT University as prelude to the 99th Indian Science Congress to be held from 3-7 January 2012 in KIIT. She will bag the prize money of Rs. 5 lakhs.

Kaushal Agarwalla of Assam stood second, while Richa Kumari of Karnataka won the third prize in the essay competition, result of which was declared recently. The 2nd and 3rd prize winners will get 4 lakh and 3 lakh respectively.

In junior category, Rohit Sharma of Himachal Pradesh won the first prize, while Roshni. H Channal of Karnataka and Urja Narayan of Jharkhand stood second and third respectively. They will get Rs. 4 lakh, 3 lakh and 2 lakh respectively. 

Life saving surgery at KIMS

Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), a constituent of KIIT University, performed a life saving surgery on a 10-year girl, who was seriously injured after a fall from roof. Shubhashree Patra, daughter of B. R. Patra from Shaileshri Vihar, fell down from roof while playing resulting in penetration of rod at the infra-umbilical site. The patient came to KIMS unconscious with pulse was not palpable and BP not recordable. KIMS surgical team immediately transferred the patient to OT and resuscitated her with immediate arrangement of blood. The abdomen was opened and found to have massive blood in the peritonial cavity. It was also found that, renal vein was injured. After successful operation patient was shifted to ICU. At present she is out of danger and steadily recovering in ICU. Dr. A. Samanta, Founder, KIIT & KISS congratulated the surgeons and wished a speedy recovery of the patient.

Important Personalities Visit KISS 

Important dignitaries like The Right Honourable Mr. Andrew Mitchell MP, Secretary of State for International Development,  The United Kingdom; His Excellency Mr. James David Bevan, British High Commissioner to India; Mr. Sam Sharp, Head, DFID, India and Ms. Promila Sibal, Eminent Social Activist and Wife of Mr. Kapil Sibal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Communication, IT & HRD visited KISS on 15th December 2011.

Speaking to 15,000 tribal students of KISS, Mr. Mitchell said that it is heartening to see that girls constitute almost half of the student mass of the institute. Britain and India are working together to develop the society through education, he said. Hailing KISS as a wonderful opportunity for underprivileged children to get education, he showered lavish praise on its Founder, Dr. A. Samanta for the noble initiative. “You are the most fantastic person, I have ever seen. You are an inspiration for me. I'm honoured to meet you”, Mr. Mitchell remarked. 

KISS is striving to bring tribal boys and girls into the mainstream society, said Mr. Bevan. It is the second visit of the British High Commissioner to India to KISS. He had interacted with the students of the institute during October this year. Mr. Sharp described various activities of DFID in Odisha for the development of agriculture, infant and maternity health and primary education. 

Ms. Promila Sibal, during her exclusive visit to KISS, interacted with 15,000 students of KISS and thanked Dr. Samanta for his noble effort. She said that that Right to Education is being implemented in KISS in a proper sense. Dr. Samanta expressed gratitude to the visiting dignitaries and thanked them for their encouraging words.

KIIT organises National Marketing Conclave

A National Marketing Conclave - 2011 was organised by the School of Management of KIIT University on 10th December, 2011. The inaugural ceremony of the conclave was graced by Mr. Videh Jaipuriar, CEO, Jubiliant Industries Ltd., Mr. Salil Sahu, MD, Home Store India, Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder, KIIT & KISS, Prof. Ashok Kolaskar, Vice Chancellor, KIIT University and Prof.  Ashok K. Sar, Dean, KIIT School of Management.

Given a significant change in the way today’s consumers interact with the brands, especially because of the rise of social networking, greater access to internet and information, shortening attention span and decreasing brand loyalty, the chosen theme for this year is ‘Customer Engagement: Changing Paradigms’.

The event was  attended by several corporate honchos including Mr. Videh Jaipuriar, CEO, Jubilant Industries, Mr. Salil K. Sahu, MD,  Home Stores India, Ms. Meenal Jadhav, Principal Consultant, Heidrick and Struggles, Mr. Sankar Ramamurthy, Executive Director, PWC, Mr. Indraneel Ganguly, Sr. VP – Global Marketing & Comm., Mahindra Satyam, Mr. P.S. Ghosh, Director – Commercial, Pfizer, Mr. V. Sivaramakrishnan, President – Distributed Learning Services, Manipal Group and Mr. Biju Zachariah, Business Head, Excelsoft. The event, spread over three sessions saw deliberations on three key aspects related to the topic: Fundamentals of Customer Engagement, Measuring Customer Engagement and Using Technology to Improve Engagement.

The day-long event saw a congregation of Research Scholars, Academicians, Corporate Representatives and Students from across the country. This conclave follows similar ones in the areas of HR and Finance, keeping with KSOM’s attempt to bring corporate India closer to business school classrooms.

KIIT’s Bigyan Rath Concludes its Journey

The Bigyan Rath, an innovative initiative of KIIT University and NISER to popularize science among the youths and common people of the State of Odisha, concluded its state-wide journey in Cuttack, the birthplace of renowned scientist Prana Krushna Parija, on 3rd December 2011. Held as a prelude to the 99th Indian Science Congress, to be hosted by KIIT University in association with NISER from 3-7 January 2012, the Rath in its very successful run during 20-day period traveled 4000 kilometers, covering more than 1000 educational institutes and more than 100 towns in all the 30 districts of Odisha, touching each and every individual. The Rath was flagged off from Khandapada, the birthplace of Pathani Samanta, by Shri M. C. Bhandare, His Excellency the Governor of Odisha on 14th November 2011.

The closing ceremony of the Bigyan Rath, held at Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, was graced by Dr. P. K. Patasani, Hon’ble MP, Bhubaneswar; Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, Hon’ble MP, Cuttack; Shri Pravat Ranjan Biswal, Hon’ble MLA, Choudwar-Cuttack; Shri Manmohan Praharaj, IPS, Director General of Police, Odisha; Girish S. N, Collector, Cuttack; Dr. R. N. Ray, Chairman, National Children Science Congress; Prof. B. C. Tripathy, VC, Ravenshaw University, Cuttack; Dr. A. Samanta, Founder, KIIT & KISS; Prof. A. S. Kolaskar, VC, KIIT University; and Dr. A. K. Naik, Registrar, NISER; Lalatendu Parija, the son of Late Prana Krushna Parija and Shrikant Parida, President of Ravenshaw University Students union.

The Bigyan Rath has played a constructive role in taking the message of benefits of science and technology in rural area, said Dr. Patasani. Hailing the initiative of KIIT as unique and innovative, Shri Mahtab said that the grand success of the Bigyan Rath points to the need to organise more such mass contact programmes in the field of science and technology. Dr. Samanta thanked people of Odisha for the success of the Bigyan Rath and extended them invitation to be a part of the mega scientific event to be held in KIIT during 3-7 January 2012. Prof. Kolaskar delivered the presidential address, while Dr. Naik proposed the vote of thanks.

Total 31 toppers of District-level Essay Competition, also organised by KIIT in all the districts of Odisha as a prelude to the 99th Indian Science Congress, were also announced and awarded on the occasion. Last month, Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh, Hon’ble Union Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences had inaugurated the District-level and National-level essay competition at KIIT. In the junior category, 30 toppers, one from each district, were awarded with Rs. 10,000/- and a certificate each. Sole winner in the senior category received Rs. 15,000/- and a certificate. Ms. Bibhusmita Singha Samanta, fourth generation of Pathani Samanta, was also felicitated on the occasion. Result of National-level essay competition will be declared during the 99th session of Indian Science Congress.