Professor Sasmita Rani Samanta has been appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of KIIT Deemed to be University. She assumed charge from the outgoing VC, Prof. Hrushikesh Mohanty, on 24th December 2021. Before this appointment, she worked in different senior positions, including Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of KIIT-DU, for the last 26 years. Prof. Samanta has over 25 years of experience in academics and administration.
Prof. Samanta is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA, UK) and a fellow of the Computer Society of India (FCSI, India). She has been trained in leadership from the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO), the USA, and CSC Leaders Programme, Common Purpose Charitable Trust, UK.
As the term of the outgoing VC was ending in December 2021, applications were invited through media advertisement for the post of Vice-Chancellor. Since it is the prerogative of Chancellor Prof. Ved Prakash to appoint the Vice-Chancellor, he constituted a three-Member Search Committee. All three were renowned Academicians/Vice-Chancellors of National Universities, out of which one member was from UGC, duly nominated by the UGC.
After verifying records and proper scrutiny of applications, the Search Committee selected names of 13 candidates for presentation and interaction. The Search Committee visited KIIT and interacted with all the 13 candidates, and finally recommended the names of three candidates to the Chancellor for approval of one candidate from amongst them. The Chancellor, after careful consideration, approved the name of Prof. Sasmita Rani Samanta, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, for appointment as the next Vice-Chancellor of KIIT Deemed to be University for five years. Eminent academicians have occupied the post of Vice-Chancellor in KIIT-DU since its inception. Prof. Samanta, who is the first woman VC of KIIT.
Expressing his happiness, Dr Achyuta Samanta, Founder, KIIT & KISS, congratulated Prof. Sasmita Samanta and hoped that she would take the university to new heights in the coming years.
