THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, SEPTEMBER 25, 2026

Eminent educationist, social reformer and founder of KIIT, KISS and KIMS, Dr Achyuta Samanta has received a series of prestigious international honours recognising his contributions to education, social development, humanitarian service, institution building and sports. Among the distinctions, he has been conferred Honorary Citizenship of Milișăuți, Romania, and presented with the Key to the City of Bârlad, making him the first Odia to receive these civic honours from two Romanian municipalities.

Dr Samanta was conferred Honorary Citizenship of Milișăuți on September 21, 2026, in recognition of his lifelong contributions to education, social development and humanitarian service. He was also presented with the Key to the City by the Municipality of Bârlad.

Honorary citizenship is regarded as the highest civic recognition a Romanian town can confer. The Key to the City is rooted in an old European tradition dating back to the era when towns were protected by gates and their keys were presented only to individuals regarded as trusted guests. Dr Samanta visited Bârlad along with Dr Manoj Kumar Mohapatra, Ambassador of India to Romania.

 “I was deeply touched by the warm welcome I received in Milișăuți, Romania. The love and warmth I received in both cities will always remain close to my heart,” Dr Samanta said, expressing his gratitude to the people of Romania.

Adding to the list of international recognitions, Dr Samanta was named ‘Leader of the Year’ at the CEEMAN Champions Awards 2026 for his contributions to education, social development, humanitarian service and institution building. The award was presented during the 34th CEEMAN Annual Conference held in Romania. A representative received the honour on Dr Samanta’s behalf.

The International Association for Management Development in Dynamic Societies (CEEMAN), headquartered in Bled, Slovenia, has around 180 members from nearly 50 countries.

Dr Samanta also received the FIDE Education Philanthropic Award at the Summit on Chess in Education in Uzbekistan on September 24, 2026, held alongside the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad and Congress. A representative accepted the award on his behalf.

The award was presented by Viswanathan Anand, Acting President of FIDE, and Dana Reizniece, Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board, in the presence of representatives from 120 countries. Dr Samanta was recognised for his lifelong contributions to sports and education. On the occasion, FIDE, KIIT and KISS signed an MoU to further expand their initiatives in Chess in Education.

Dr Samanta has also received four honours during the 45th World Congress of Poets being held in Pristina, Republic of Kosovo. These include the Mother Teresa Award, the title of Professor Honoris Causa from AAB University College, Pristina, Recognition from the City of Peja, and the Medal of the President of the World Congress of Poets.

The series of recognitions across Romania, Uzbekistan and Kosovo highlights Dr Samanta’s international engagement in the fields of education, social development, humanitarian service and institution building.