IndiaTrek Delegation Returns with Fond Memories of Odisha, KIIT and KISS

A 38-member delegation from the City University of New York (CUNY), USA, returned with fond memories of Odisha after completing a 15-day visit to KIIT and KISS under the IndiaTrek initiative of the Achyuta Samanta India Initiative, CUNY CREST Institute (ASIICCI). The delegation comprised 10 distinguished professors and 28 students from different CUNY institutions.

During their stay, the delegates took part in a series of academic, knowledge-sharing and cultural exchange programmes with students, faculty and staff of KIIT and KISS. The programme gave them an opportunity to experience the academic environment of the two institutions closely while also understanding the social and educational model of KISS.

On the concluding day of the visit, the delegation met Prof. (Dr) Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT and KISS, and shared their experiences of the past two weeks. The participants said they were deeply impressed by the ambience, academic environment and infrastructure of KIIT and KISS. Many of them expressed that seeing the two institutions in person and experiencing campus life had given them an entirely different understanding of their scale and impact.

The delegates also spoke warmly about the hospitality, affection and care extended to them throughout their stay, saying that these experiences would remain with them for a long time. They expressed their appreciation to Dr. Samanta for conceptualising an initiative that enables international students and academicians to understand India, and particularly Odisha, through direct experience.

Speaking about the purpose of IndiaTrek, Dr. Samanta emphasised that the initiative has been designed not only as an academic exchange programme but also as an effort to bring young people from different parts of the world closer to Odisha, its people, culture and heritage. The programme seeks to create lasting connections by allowing participants to experience the State beyond classrooms and conferences.

Through IndiaTrek, KIIT and KISS have undertaken a distinctive annual initiative to showcase Odisha to the global community. Participants receive first-hand exposure to the State’s art, culture, heritage, cuisine, traditions, socio-economic conditions and major tourist destinations. Their itinerary also includes visits to Delhi and the Taj Mahal in Agra, giving them a wider understanding of India’s history and cultural diversity.

The initiative has steadily developed into an important platform for internationalisation at KIIT and KISS. As participants return to their respective countries, they carry with them not only memories of the two institutions but also a deeper understanding of Odisha and India. The larger objective is to create global ambassadors who have experienced the State personally and can share its culture, warmth and diversity with others.

Dr. Samanta said it gives him immense happiness when international students and faculty spend time with the KIIT-KISS community, interact closely with students and return with a positive impression of Odisha. He observed that such exchanges help build friendships across countries and give young people an opportunity to learn from one another beyond conventional academic boundaries.

Among those present at the farewell interaction were Prof. Neal Hudson Phillip, Professor and Chairperson, Department of Chemistry, Earth Sciences & Environmental Sciences, Bronx Community College; Co-Director, CUNY CREST Institute’s International Partnership and Global Networking Pillar; and Associate Director, Achyuta Samanta India Initiative, City University of New York; Prof. Paramita Sen, Professor, Department of Chemistry, Earth Sciences and Environmental Sciences, Bronx Community College, CUNY; Salil Kader, former Advisor – Strategic Planning and Public Engagement at the U.S. Consulate General, Hyderabad, and presently an independent consultant and researcher; Prof. Saranjit Singh, Vice-Chancellor, KIIT Deemed to be University; and Prof. Gyan Ranjan Mohanty, Registrar, KIIT Deemed to be University.