US Senator, Mayors Visit KIIT, KISS; 10 Honoured With Lifetime Achievement Awards
17-member Washington State delegation interacts with students during India visit
Bhubaneswar: A 17-member delegation from Washington State in the United States, comprising a state senator, mayors and other public representatives, visited KIIT and KISS universities here on Thursday and interacted with students.
At a special programme organised at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), 10 members of the delegation were conferred the KIIT-KISS Is One (KKIO) Lifetime Achievement Award 2026 in recognition of their contributions in various fields.
The awardees included Washington State Senator Tina Louise Orwall; Dana Lynn Ralph, mayor of Kent; Thomas Wayne McLeod, mayor of Tukwila; Mark Douglas Mullet, mayor of Issaquah; Joseph Daniel Marine, mayor of Mukilteo; Ronald Jon Frederick, mayor of DuPont; Stanley Lalit Kumar Flemming, mayor of University Place; Mohamed Ali Egal, mayor of SeaTac; Denise Teresa McCluskey, pro tem mayor of University Place; and Toni Marie Troutner, a council member of Kent.
During the visit, the delegates expressed admiration for the scale of operations at KIIT and KISS and the institutions’ engagement with students. They said they were particularly impressed by the large number of children studying together at KISS and praised their discipline and capabilities across various fields.
KISS focuses on providing education and related support to tribal children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The delegation is visiting India from October 12 to 19 as part of the India Trek programme, which includes interactions and visits to institutions.
Addressing the gathering, KIIT and KISS founder Achyuta Samanta welcomed the visiting dignitaries and thanked them for including the institutions in their itinerary.
Professor Sharanjit Singh, vice-chancellor of KISS Deemed to be University, and Dr Prashant Kumar Routaray, chief executive officer of KISS, were among those present.