Chennai: Achyuta Samanta offers KISS of life to tribal communities

Chennai: It has been 23 years since Achyuta Samanta embarked on a journey to provide basic necessities like shelter and food as well as educating tribal children by bringing them under a roof at Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS.)  

Dr Samanta, born into a poor family, lost his father when he was four. Reeling under poverty, and wanting to earn to sustain his family of eight, he began helping his mother by doing odd jobs, while continuing to study.

After graduating with a Masters in Science degree, he put into shape his vision of starting two educational institutes, one, KIIT University that provided technical education offering courses like engineering and medicine, and the other, KISS that would be a residential educational institution for the tribal children.

Today, KISS provides education to about 25,000 tribal children from 62 indigenous tribal communities of Odisha, of which 12,200 students are girls. These students are provided education from kindergarten to post graduation, and ultimately landed with jobs. “He is being hailed as God for the noble work towards the uplift of tribal communities,” said a close acquaintance of Dr Samanta. Dr Samanta plans to meet the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J. Jayalalithaa, in order to start a branch institution of KISS in the state.

Dr Samanta believes that lack of education is what keeps tribal communities aloof to development and a proper means of life, and his KISS, which began with 125 students, has since then, come a long way.  Also, CMs of 15 states have been in talks with him to begin KISS structured schools in their states. KISS students, many of whom are first generation learners, have been achieving cent per cent pass record in the final examinations for more than 10 years in a row while the Odisha state schools recorded 60 - 70 pass percentage.

‘Youth is the power of India’

Achyuta Samanta, a social entrepreneur from Odisha, was presented with the “Pride of India” award in Chennai on Sunday. In conversation with Deccan Chronicle’s Shruti Suresh, he talks about his work over the past 24 years, and his future plans.

Excerpts:

Q. Why did you decide to work with tribal children specifically?
Tribals in Odisha constitute 25 per cent of the total population, and dwell in absolute penury. I had the vision to help the poorest of the poor, and that is how the journey took shape.

Q. You started with a meagre Rs 5,000. How did you shape the journey from that to running two huge renowned institutions?
I managed to start the institution by borrowing money from family members and friends. After some time, they wanted their money back. And in those times, it was not easy to get loans.

I had borrowed about Rs 16 lakhs. Not finding a way to get loans, I decided to end my life. That was when a nationalised bank gave me a loan of Rs 25 lakhs, and I could return the borrowed money and begin the construction of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences.

Q. What you have done for the tribal children in Odisha has earned you the title of God among the masses. Do you ensure that these children who step out after their education from KISS give back to their communities and society?
Yes. Many of them join various government departments and work for the society. They work as nurses, councillors and some are working as change agents by doing social service.

Q. What is your happiest moment in the last 24 years?
Smiling faces of students at my school leave me the happiest.

Q. What are your expectations from the youth of India?
The youth should be good to themselves. Only then they can be good to the society. In the coming years, it is the youth who will be the power of India.

Q. What do you think about the youth of the country not getting involved in politics?
They should get involved positively in politics. The current scenario is such that it doesn’t inspire the youth to consider politics as their career choice but they should take initiatives and join for a positive change.