Bhubaneswar, Sept 8: Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) has been conferred with the highest global recognition on Literacy- UNESCO International Literacy Prize 2022. The prize carries an endowment of US$ 20,000, a medal and a citation. It was given away at a global award ceremony organised by UNESCO in Côte d’Ivoire on 8 September 2022.
As a grassroots organisation aimed at nation-building, KISS has the coveted recognition to be the fifth recipient from India and the first and only institute from Odisha to receive this International honour. It is also the third among the Indian non-profit NGOs and the first Indian tribal-based organisation to be conferred with this award, which is a matter of pride for India.
The UNESCO prize for KISS was announced by KISS Founder Dr. Achyuta Samanta during the celebration of International Literacy Day at the KISS campus. The announcement was met with a spontaneous outpouring of celebration by 30,000 KISS students.
KISS is a fully free residential education institution. It was founded by Dr Samanta, a well-known Educationist and Social Activist. It provides scope for comprehensive development, vocational and sports empowerment for 70,000 tribal children (30,000 children pursuing education at campus and 40,000 alumni).
Founded in 1993 with 125 students, it has grown on to become the World’s largest educational institution for tribal children. KISS has collaborations with various UN bodies and international organisations. It has been in special consultative status with ECOSOC since 2015, affiliated to the UN Department of Public Information besides being conferred with a plethora of accolades and awards for its initiative at tribal empowerment and education.
ଏହି ପୁରୁଣା କପଡା ରେ କଳା ପଟ। ସଫା କରିବା ,ବର୍ଷା ଦିନ ଶ୍ରେଣୀ ଗୃହରେ ପାଣି ଗଳିବା ,ଖରା ଦିନେ ଖରା ଆଲୁଅ ଶ୍ରେଣୀ ରେ ପଡିବ ,ପାନୀୟ ଜଳ ଉପଲବ୍ଧ ନ ହେବ। ଏପରିକି ଶୌଚାଳୟ ପାଇଁ ଆମେ ସବୁ ପାଖ ପୋଖରୀ କୁ ଯିବ ଅତି ସାଧାରଣ କଥା ଥିଲା । ଅନାକର୍ଷଣୀୟ ବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟ ପରିବେଶ ଓ ଆବଶ୍ୟକୀୟ ଭିତ୍ତିଭୂମି ଅନେକ ପିଲାମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଅଧାରୁ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରିବ। ଏକ ସ୍ୱାଭାବିକ ପ୍ରକ୍ରିୟା ଥିଲା ଏହିପରି ଦୁରବସ୍ଥା ରୁ ” ବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟ ରୁପନ୍ତରୀକରଣ” ଅନ୍ତର୍ଗତ ଆଜିର ସ୍ମାର୍ଟ ଶ୍ରେଣୀ ଗୃହ,ସ୍ମାର୍ଟ ବେଞ୍ଚ ,ଏ-ଲାଇଵ୍ରରୀ,ବିଜ୍ଞାନ ପରୀକ୍ଷା ଗାର ,ସୁନ୍ଦର ବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟ ପରିବେଶ ଯିଏ ଆଖିରେ ଦେଖିଛେ ସିଏ ନିହାତି ଆଖିଦୃଶିଆ ସ୍ଥାନାନ୍ତରଣରେ ଖୁସି ଅନୁଭବ କରିବ।
