Bhubaneswar, Jan 27: The 77th Republic Day was celebrated with patriotic farvour at KIIT and KISS University. This year, Sri Lankan Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa attended the Republic Day celebration as the Chief Guest.
After taking the salute at the students’ parade, KIIT and KISS Founder Dr. Achyuta Samanta said that on Republic Day, the presence of Sri Lankan MP Namal Rajapaksa as the Chief Guest further enhanced the significance of the celebrations. Along with him, nine other Sri Lankan MPs also attended the programme as guests.
Addressing the students on the occasion, Namal Rajapaksa said that India has always stood by Sri Lanka as a close friend. He noted that unity in Sri Lanka is not merely a slogan, but a way to overcome adverse situations. He said Odisha is very important to Sri Lanka and is globally respected for peace and harmony. Odisha, he remarked, is not just a state; it is a message.
Advising students, he said culture, identity, and modernity should not be seen as forces to fight against one another. Instead, they should coexist, and cooperation among them should be strengthened. He emphasised that Sri Lanka and India, located on opposite sides of the Bay of Bengal, are bound together by history, culture, and shared memories, and stressed the need to further strengthen this cooperation.
Among others present at the programme were KIIT and KISS Society Vice-President Umapada Bose, KIIT Secretary Manoranjan Pradhan, KISS Secretary R. N. Dash, KIIT University Chancellor Ashok Parija, Pro-Chancellor Dr. Subrat Acharya, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Saranjit Singh, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof. K. D. Raju, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr. CBK Mohanty, Registrar Prof. J R Mohanty, and KISS University Registrar Dr. P. K. Rautray, among others.
On the occasion, employees and students of KIIT, KISS, and KIMS who demonstrated outstanding performance in various fields were felicitated. This was followed by a tableau presentation and cultural programmes by different schools of KIIT and KISS.
