BHUBANESWAR: Union minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday inaugurated the Minati Mohapatra Cycling Velodrome here at KIIT-KISS campus.
The velodrome has been named after Minati Mohapatra, Odisha’s first Arjuna awardee in cycling. Reflecting on the significance of the occasion, Mandaviya said, “Today is an important day for me. What I witnessed aligns with the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi - a nation where education and sports go hand in hand.”
Quoting Acharya Chanakya, the minister emphasised the importance of education in shaping a nation’s future. “I am satisfied that the country’s future is in the capable hands of educationists like Dr Achyuta Samanta. KIIT, KISS and KIMS are nurturing students who will grow into responsible citizens. Wherever I go, I will share the best practices I observed here,” the Union minister added.
Founder of KIIT, KISS and KIMS, Dr Achyuta Samanta informed of his plans to expand the sports infrastructure at KIIT and KISS in the coming years. “With the minister’s blessings, we aim to expand our facilities further and provide more opportunities for budding athletes,” he said.
Lauding Mandaviya’s passion for sports, secretary general of the Cycling Federation of India, Maninder Pal Singh said, the minister is a cycling enthusiast himself, and his contribution to promoting sports across the country is remarkable.
Minati Mohapatra expressed her gratitude to Samanta and said, “I am speechless. People say Dr Samanta is like a god to us. This is the greatest honour of my life.”
KIIT vice-chancellor Prof Saranjit Singh highlighted the minister’s achievements during his tenure as Union Health minister, and KISS VC Prof Deepak Kumar Behera delivered the vote of thanks.