Bhubaneswar, March 16 — Nita M. Ambani, the Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, was given the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS)-KISS Humanitarian Award 2025 at the college campus in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
Nobel Laureate Prof. Mohan Munasinghe of Sri Lanka gave the award, and was accompanied by KIIT, KISS and KIMS Founder Dr. Achyuta Samanta. The hall was packed with thousands of students, dignitaries and senior leaders of the institutions who came to observe the event.
Understanding a Legacy of Service
The award was in recognition of the broad scope of humanitarian activities of Ambani which has been in education, healthcare, rural development, women empowerment and sports all conducted through the Reliance Foundation over the years. It was not merely a formal acknowledgement but a moment which placed an emphasis on the silent, unheroic work her staff have done in the communities that go unappreciated.
Ambani was not arrogant in her acceptance speech. She referred to KIIT and KISS as two new dispensaries of education which were constructed by Dr. Samanta and labeled it as a national pride. She also did not hesitate to spread the credit as she said that the award should not be given only to her, but to all people who have experienced the Reliance Foundation process.
A Resonant Message that Travelled Past the Stage
What gave her speech its special value was how she addressed the 40,000 students of KISS as one person, not as a remote dignitary, but as a person with whom she had shared the experience.
I shall not forget the love and the affection you have bestowed upon me in this place, she said, which was evidently touching her heart with the kindly welcome you have given me. She talked of how wonderful Odisha is, the culture and traditions of Odisha, and the closeness that Odia people feel to nature, and said she was honored to see what she referred to as truly marvelous institutions.
Her speech to the students was not complicated but strong. Any suggestion that girls have to dream smaller than boys was pushed to the limit: whatever boys can do, girls can do it, too. Then there came the advice on which any young person might do well to build, dream big, work hard, stay dedicated, and never get off the track of integrity.
It is not your last destination, this is the starting point, she said with conviction: I see the future of India in KISS, and I know it is going to be a bright one.
About the Award
KISS Humanitarian Award is the highest award of the institute that was instituted in 2008 by Dr. Samanta. It is awarded to individuals and organisations with an actual interest in humanitarian values in their life. The prize is a scroll of citation, and a gold-plated trophy,--the design of which holds a deeper symbolism:--a pair of hands pushing up a heart, this showing how much service is needed it would raise the lives of the people who need it most, through devoted service.
Dr. Samanta's Tribute
One of the last thoughts in the welcome speech that Dr. Samanta gave, which still resonated with many even after the applause, was the following: Success is not simply making it happen so that you can enjoy it yourself, but to make other people a part of your life and help them see the light. He has hailed the multi-dimensional societal work of Ambani, which reiterates that in a world that has become materialistic; it is hardly impossible to win true love and respect. She has done just that in his opinion.
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