In a rare and historic gesture, renowned Indian educationist and social reformer Dr. Achyuta Samanta has been honoured in the United States with a research institute named after him. The City University of New York (CUNY), one of the oldest and most respected public university systems in the U.S., inaugurated the Achyuta Samanta India Initiative CUNY Crest Institute (ASIICCI) at a special event in New York this week. Dr. Samanta also received the university’s highest honour-the prestigious Presidential Medal-during the ceremony, making the moment doubly significant.

The institute, named after Dr. Samanta, will focus on fostering academic inquiry into Indian culture, heritage, and tribal communities, particularly highlighting Odisha. This marks the first time that a U.S.-based research institution has been named in honour of an Indian citizen, and it stands as a powerful acknowledgment of Dr. Samanta’s life work and India’s growing global influence in educational innovation and social development.