Odisha’s Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) was conferred the prestigious ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar’ 2022 on Wednesday. The award was presented by President Draupadi Murmu to the Founder of KIIT and KISS, Dr Achyuta Samanta. Expressing his gratitude to the President and government of India for bestowing KIIT with the honour, Dr Samanta said the award has been given in recognition of KIIT’s sustained focus towards the development of sports since its inception. “Along with education, we have strengthened sports and sports-related infrastructure. The encouragement and support of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik towards sports have also inspired KIIT to develop and take sports to the next level in Odisha,” said Dr Samanta. The moment is a matter of pride and joy for KIIT, he said, dedicating the award to all students and staff members of KIIT. KIIT has been at the forefront of the promotion of sports for over 20 years. It has established a distinct identity for itself across the globe due to its state-of-the-art sports infrastructure and for grooming Olympians.