BHUBANESWAR : The City University of New York (CUNY) has named a newly-established research institute after educationist Achyuta Samanta.
The institute, Achyuta Samanta India Initiative CUNY Crest Institute (ASIICCI), was inaugurated on Tuesday in New York. It will support research by American students on Odisha’s art and heritage and also focus on Samanta’s work in education and tribal development.
The president of Bronx Community College under CUNY Milton Santiago had proposed naming the institute after Samanta after his recent visit to KIIT and KISS in Bhubaneswar. 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.
Attending the event, Samanta said it was an honour to have an institute in the US named after him. “The recognition is a matter of pride for Odisha, KIIT, and KISS,” he added. Samanta was also awarded the university’s highest honour, the Presidential Medal, during the event.
A 175-year-old public university in the US, CUNY has more than three lakh students and includes 25 colleges. It has students from 122 countries.