Bhubaneswar/Patna: Dr Achyuta Samanta, educationist, social reformer and founder of KIIT, KISS and KIMS, was conferred honorary citizenship of the Romanian town of Milișăuți on September 21, 2026.
The honour recognised his contributions to education, social development and humanitarian service.
He was also presented with the prestigious ‘Key to the City of Bârlad’ by the Bârlad Municipality. With these honours, Samanta became the first Odia individual to receive such civic honours from two Romanian municipalities, according to the statement.
Honorary citizenship is described as the highest honour a Romanian city can confer, while the ‘Key to the City’ traces its origins to the tradition of fortified European cities, where keys symbolised the trust placed in an individual by the residents.
Samanta visited Bârlad accompanied by Dr Manoj Kumar Mohapatra, India’s Ambassador to Romania.
“I was deeply moved by the warm welcome I received in Milișăuți, Romania. The memories of the love and affection showered upon me by the people of both cities will always remain close to my heart,” Samanta said.
He also expressed his gratitude to the people of Romania.
‘Leader Of The Year’ Award
Samanta was also honoured as ‘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 in Romania, with his representative accepting it on his behalf.
CEEMAN, the International Association for Management Development in Dynamic Societies, is headquartered in Bled, Slovenia, and has around 180 members from approximately 50 countries.
FIDE Education Philanthropic Award
On September 24, Samanta received the ‘Education Philanthropic Award’ from FIDE during the ‘Summit on Chess in Education’ in Uzbekistan.
The event coincided with the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad and Congress. His representative accepted the award on his behalf.
The award was presented by FIDE Acting President Viswanathan Anand and FIDE Management Board Vice-President Dana Reizniece in the presence of representatives from around 120 countries.
Samanta was among the recipients from India and was recognised for his contribution to sports and education.
On the occasion, FIDE, KIIT and KISS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote ‘Chess in Education’ initiatives on a larger scale.
Four Honours In Kosovo
Samanta also received four honours during the 45th World Congress of Poets held in Pristina, Kosovo.
These included the ‘Mother Teresa Award’, the title of ‘Professor Honoris Causa’ from AAB University College, Pristina, an honour from the City of Peja, and a medal from the President of the World Congress of Poets.
The honours across Romania, Uzbekistan and Kosovo recognise Samanta’s stated contributions across education, social service, humanitarian work, sports and institution-building.
