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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
KIIT Powers India's Best-Ever Show at World University Games with Historic Medal Haul
PRNewswire Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], August 7: In a show of athletic prowess and institutional commitment to sports, KIIT-DU ( scripted history at the just-concluded World University Games (WUG) 2025 in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany. Not only did KIIT contribute significantly to India's record-breaking medal tally, but it also set a new benchmark for university sports in the country. With six medals--three silver and three bronze--KIIT emerged as the highest-medalling university from India, accounting for half of the nation's total of 12 medals. Three KIIT students -- Ankita in the 3000m Steeplechase, Praveen Chithrawal in the Triple Jump, and Seeman in the 5000m Final -- each won silver medals. Additionally, the Men's 4x100m Relay Team, the Women's 20km Race Walk Team, and Avinash Mohanty in Badminton secured bronze medals. KIIT University showcased its sporting excellence across various events. In the Men's 4x100m Relay, Sahkanth Hoblidhar, Animesh Kujur, Lalu Prasad Bhoi, and Matyam Jayaram Dandapati won bronze medals. In the Women's 20km Race Walk Team event, Munitap Rajpathi, Mansi Negi, and Sejal Anilsingh walked in unison to clinch bronze. Avinash Mohanty also contributed with a bronze medal in Badminton, bringing KIIT's total medal tally to six. KIIT had the highest representation by a single Indian university in any edition of the Games, held from July 16 to 27 across the Rhine-Ruhr region and Berlin. It had 40 athletes competing across seven sporting disciplines. The athletes were felicitated by KIIT and its sister concern, Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), by the Founder of the institutes, Dr Achyuta Samanta, on their return. The Silver medallists were awarded Rs 3 lakh each, while the bronze medallists received Rs 1 lakh each. "This is not just a celebration of medals but a celebration of what focused support, scientific training, and belief in youth can achieve," Dr. Samanta said, expressing his immense pride. "We are proud that 40 of the 42 athletes from Odisha in the Indian contingent came from KIIT." The Founder also offered gratitude to the Odisha Sports Department, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. He made special mention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his consistent encouragement of youth and sports. Setting a National Benchmark KIIT has now become the first Indian university in 65 years to win the highest number of medals in a single edition of the World University Games--no small feat for an institution that has quietly built its sporting infrastructure over the years. "This day is more than a medal count," remarked Dr. Samanta. "It is proof that when talent is nurtured with care, faith, and hard work, our young minds can shine on the world stage." Known as the Olympics for university athletes aged 17 to 25, the WUG saw participation from over 300 Indian student-athletes, selected through trials that drew entries from more than 400 universities nationwide. KIIT was entrusted once again as a Nodal University by AIU, continuing a leadership role it has played in previous editions such as Napoli 2019 and Chengdu, 2023. In the Chengdu games, KIIT had clinched two medals. It had sent 14 participants, one of the largest contingents from any university. Highlights: 1. 40 out of 42 athletes from Odisha in the Indian contingent were from KIIT, highlighting the institution's role as a national sports powerhouse. 2. Cash rewards of Rs 3 lakh (silver) and Rs 1 lakh (bronze) were awarded to medal winners in a grand felicitation ceremony attended by Olympians and dignitaries. 3. KIIT contributed 6 out of India's 12 medals at the World University Games 2025, the highest ever by any Indian university in the event's 65-year history. 4. Three silver and three bronze medals were secured by KIIT athletes across athletics, race walking, badminton, and relay events. 5. This is not just a celebration of medals but a celebration of what focused support, scientific training, and belief in youth can achieve, said KIIT & KISS Founder Dr Achyuta Samanta.
Scotsman
01-07-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Teaching kids to save more and spend less this summer
As the summer holidays kick off, families across Scotland are looking for cheap but meaningful ways to keep the children busy over the summer - and there are some brilliant opportunities out there to do something a little different! Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... If you're a parent you'll be well aware of the pressure from the kids to spend over the next few weeks but one new initiative hopes to encourage younger members of the family to consider budgeting and saving this summer rather than spending. Young people today face increasingly complex financial decisions, yet money management remains a skill often overlooked in traditional education - nearly 6 out of 10 parents consider financial literacy more crucial than traditional subjects like maths or technology skills for their children's future success. In response, a new initiative is offering a limited number of free sessions to help kids build essential financial skills from an early age. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The programme, run by social impact company MyPocketSkill, is offering limited free spaces on their online 'PocketWise' financial education programme aimed at 7–16 year olds. The sessions are delivered by friendly, relatable university students and cover everyday topics such as budgeting, saving and making informed spending decisions. Teaching kids to save more and spend less this summer with MyPocketSkill 'Financial education isn't just about numbers,' says Zara Ransley of MyPocketSkill. 'It's about confidence, independence, and giving young people the tools to make good choices with their money. While some schools touch on this in their curriculums, we know from speaking to young people that it rarely covers the topics that matter most to young people.' The sessions are interactive and age-appropriate, using real-life scenarios and discussions to get kids thinking about how they use and deal with money. Delivered one-to-one via Zoom, they are accessible to everyone regardless of location and busy schedules. Ellis, aged 8 recently finished his sessions with Samanta, a 20 year student from Cardiff and said: 'I really liked my Zoom with Samanta - I learnt that every time mum taps her phone at the supermarket it takes money from her bank ….and instead of spending my pocket money on football cards each week, I'm going to see if I can save enough for a new Switch game!' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Families can also choose to continue with further sessions, exploring more advanced topics like buy-now-pay-later schemes like Klarna, understanding online scams, and an introduction to investing. However, there's no obligation to do so. Teaching Kids to Save More and Spend Less This Summer With the cost of living still a concern for many households, programmes like this are proving timely. They offer an alternative activity for the upcoming holidays while helping young people build useful life skills in a supportive environment. Places are available throughout the summer holidays with limited free spaces.
Scotsman
01-07-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Teaching kids to save more and spend less this summer
As the summer holidays kick off, families across Scotland are looking for cheap but meaningful ways to keep the children busy over the summer - and there are some brilliant opportunities out there to do something a little different! Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... If you're a parent you'll be well aware of the pressure from the kids to spend over the next few weeks but one new initiaitve hopes to encourage younger members of the family to consider budgeting and saving this summer rather than spending. Young people today face increasingly complex financial decisions, yet money management remains a skill often overlooked in traditional education. - nearly 6 out of 10 parents consider financial literacy more crucial than traditional subjects like maths or technology skills for their children's future success. In response, a new initiative is offering a limited number of free sessions to help kids build essential financial skills from an early age. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The programme, run by social impact company MyPocketSkill, is offering limited free spaces on their online 'Pocket Wise' financial education programme aimed at 7 – 14 year olds. The sessions are delivered by friendly, relatable university students and cover everyday topics such as budgeting, saving and making informed spending decisions. Teaching kids to save more and spend less this summer 'Financial education isn't just about numbers,' says Zara Ransley of MyPocketSkill. 'It's about confidence, independence, and giving young people the tools to make good choices with their money. While some schools touch on this in their curriculums, we know from speaking to young people that it rarely covers the topics that matter most to young people.' The sessions are interactive and age-appropriate, using real-life scenarios and discussions to get kids thinking about how they use and deal with money. Delivered one-to-one via Zoom, they are accessible to everyone regardless of location and busy schedules. Ellis, aged 8 recently finished his sessions with Samanta, a 20 year student from Cardiff and said: 'I really liked my Zoom with Samanta - I learnt that everytime mum taps her phone at the supermarket it takes money from her bank ….and instead of spending my pocket money on football cards each week, I'm going to see if I can save enough for a new Switch game!' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Families can also choose to continue with further sessions, exploring more advanced topics like buy-now-pay-later schemes like Klarna, understanding online scams, and an introduction to investing. However, there's no obligation to do so. Teaching kids to save more and spend less this summer! With the cost of living still a concern for many households, programmes like this are proving timely. They offer an alternative activity for the upcoming holidays while helping young people build useful life skills in a supportive environment.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
KIIT prepares for vibrant celebration of faith and culture
BHUBANESWAR: The KIIT Jagannath Temple is bustling with activity as preparations for its 19th Rath Yatra are in full swing. The usually quiet ground near the temple has transformed into a temporary workshop since Akshaya Tritiya, as carpenters, artists and their assistants are working round-the-clock to complete the chariots. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'Artworks and painting on the chariots will be completed soon. The chariots will be covered with colourful cloth. By Wednesday, we will be ready for the annual sojourn of the holy trinity,' said Achyuta Samanta, founder of KIIT and KISS, who performs the 'Chhera Pahanra' ritual before the chariots roll. Regarding the building of Jagannath Temple on the KISS campus, Samanta said, 'A person named Surendra Das once came to me and talked about his dream related to the installation of deities at KISS. Initially, we could not believe it, but later we made a decision to build the temple.' Over the years, Samanta said the temple has hosted numerous social events, reinforcing its role as a social nucleus. 'The annual Rath Yatra draws people in hordes from far and wide,' he added. The KIIT shrine follows rituals of the Puri Jagannath Temple and has expanded to include a permanent Gundicha Temple/Mausi Ma Temple, built four years ago, about 1km away. During the Rath Yatra, the chariots will proceed to the Mausi Ma Temple and remain there until the Bahuda Yatra. Temple priest Basanta Hota said he cannot express his feelings in words. 'I never faced difficulties while following the Rath Yatra rituals or pujas. Service to the Lord and His siblings is my utmost priority. The deities mean a lot to me,' he added. 'The Rath Yatra attracts thousands of devotees from nearby villages, rest of the city, and KIIT and KISS. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now We all pull the chariots. We have been attending the festival since 2007. We eagerly wait for the Rath Yatra in our locality,' said Jhilli Behera, a resident of Pathargadia village. The temple complex, comprising 12 shrines, has evolved into a significant religious and social hub, hosting various events, including marriages and thread ceremonies. 'We've created an inclusive space that welcomes all, fostering unity and shared cultural heritage,' said Rabindranath Biswal, general manager, KIIT Temple Trust. Divine Devotion KIIT Jagannath Temple was constructed in 2006. Rath Yatra officially started in 2007 Many Jagannath temples in the city have a single chariot for Rath Yatra, but this temple has three chariots for Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra The chariot of Devi Subhadra is pulled by women only. Devotees pull the chariots for around one kilometre from the Jagannath Temple at KISS campus to Gundicha Temple near Infocity Police Station In 2023, the temple trust constructed three new chariots for Rath Yatra. This year, they are replacing the weak parts and repairing some portions Chariot work starts from the day of Akshaya Tritiya and ends a day before Rath Yatra. A team of carpenters from Ganjam's Buguda takes part in the construction of chariots The temple will organise musical programmes during the evening at Gundicha Temple from June 28 to July 4 and at Jagannath Temple on July 6 and 7
Hindustan Times
23-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
KIIT Achieves Recognition in QS World University Rankings
Bhubaneswar, June 19: KIIT-DU has attained a prominent position among the private universities in Odisha in the QS World University Rankings 2026. The institution has also been ranked 9th among India's private higher education institutions and received a global rank, marking its debut in the global rankings. KIIT-DU, a private university in Odisha attains a ranking in the QS World University Rankings 2026. In its first participation, KIIT emerged as a strong contender on the international academic stage and secured the 55th position in Asian University Rankings – Southern Asia. This achievement highlights KIIT's development in the higher education landscape and its commitment to excellence in teaching, research, innovation, and internationalisation. The QS World University Rankings 2026 assessed over 1,500 universities globally based on parameters such as Academic Reputation, Employer Reputation, Faculty-Student Ratio, Citations per Faculty, International Faculty and Student Ratio, Research Network, Employment Outcomes, and Sustainability. Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT & KISS, commented on the achievement, stating,, 'This recognition reflects our consistent efforts towards academic development, social commitment, and global engagement. KIIT, at 21 years old, has performed comparably to many established institutions. I congratulate all our teachers, staff, and students who have contributed to this proud moment.' The KIIT and KISS community has expressed gratitude to Dr. Samanta, whose leadership and approach to education continue to inspire generations and place Odisha prominently on the global academic map. • KIIT's first-ever QS World Ranking places it on global academic map • Among India's top 10 private universities, top in Odisha • Performance driven by teaching quality, innovation, and sustainability • The ranking is a testament to KIIT's inclusive and visionary growth, says Founder of KIIT and KISS Dr Achyuta Samanta. Note to the Reader: This article is part of Hindustan Times' promotional consumer connect initiative and is independently created by the brand. Hindustan Times assumes no editorial responsibility for the content.
