Satya S. Tripathi is Secretary-General of the Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet.

A development economist, lawyer and changemaker with over 40 years of varied experience, Mr. Tripathi is the Chancellor of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences – the world’s largest academic institution dedicated exclusively to indigenous people and cultures. He is also a Senior Distinguished Fellow on Innovative Finance at the World Agroforestry Centre.

He has served with the UN for more than two decades in key positions across the planet and was most recently the UN Assistant Secretary-General, Head of the New York Office at UN Environment and Secretary of the UN Environment Management Group. His other strategic engagements with the UN include Head of Human Rights Investigations for the UN in post-war Bosnia (UNMIBH); Chair of the Committees on Laws, Treaties and Administrative matters for the UN-mediated Cyprus unification talks in 2004; UN Recovery Coordinator for Aceh and Nias where he facilitated international cooperation and funding of over US$ 7 billion for post-tsunami recovery efforts in support of the government and affected populations; and Executive Head of UNORCID, a UN System Office established by the UN Secretary-General in 2011 to facilitate the implementation of a US$ 1 Billion REDD+ partnership between Indonesia, Norway and other stakeholders.

Mr. Tripathi was instrumental in establishing the Tropical Landscapes Finance Facility (TLFF) in Indonesia in 2016 and the Sustainable India Finance Facility (SIFF) in 2017 to leverage ‘private finance for public good’ at mega-scale to achieve transformative social and environmental impact for millions of people in developing countries. He previously served on the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Forests.

Amareswar Galla is an internationally acclaimed expert in inclusive cultural leadership and sustainable heritage development. With a Ph.D. from the Australian National University, Canberra, his career spans several continents and a multitude of roles that emphasize cultural inclusivity and heritage preservation.

Prof. Galla has significantly contributed as the Founding Executive Director of the International Institute for the Inclusive Museum, where he championed the integration of cultural diversity and inclusivity in museum practices globally. His role as the UNESCO Chair on Inclusive Museums & Sustainable Heritage Development further highlights his influence in shaping heritage policies and practices worldwide.

Renowned for his publication record, Prof. Galla’s works, such as those celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the 1972 World Heritage Convention, have been influential in heritage and museum studies. His expertise has been sought in various global forums, including his tenure as a Salzburg Global Fellow, influencing cultural heritage understanding and policy-making internationally.

In addition to his work with museums and heritage, Prof. Galla has held prestigious academic positions, contributing to the discourse on cultural diversity, sustainability, and heritage development. His role as a Professor and Director at the International Centre for Inclusive Cultural Leadership (ICICL) and his visits to institutions like the Smithsonian reflect the breadth of his impact in the field.

Dwiti Vikramaditya has been serving as the Vice President of both KIIT University and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Odisha, India since 2006. During his tenure, he has been instrumental in spearheading initiatives aimed at securing needs-based development projects for KISS, fostering partnerships with various stakeholders including government departments, UN Agencies, foundations and corporates. These collaborations have significantly influenced sustainable development, quality education and social justice for indigenous communities in Odisha.

Currently, Aditya is leading efforts to establish 20 new KISS campuses in Odisha by 2030, with the aim of positively impacting the lives of 2 million indigenous people. Additionally, he has played a pivotal role in advancing KIIT University’s internationalization agenda by forging over 150 collaborations with foreign universities and institutions. This has involved hosting scholars and international visitors, from all over the world. Aditya’s expertise also extends to facilitating strategic support to the government during humanitarian crises and natural disasters by coordinating efforts between NGOs and the private sector.

Vikramaditya’s dedication to public service and leadership excellence is evident through his participation in prestigious programs such as the IVLP Fellowship (2008), Fulbright Scholarship (2018), and UN Executive Leadership Programme for Sustainable Development (2021). In 2023, Aditya completed a Mid-Career Masters in Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and currently serves on the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Board (2024-2028), in addition to being the India Lead for the UNSSC Nelson Mandela Global Academy for Social Change (2024-2029), further enhancing his capabilities in driving positive social change.

Prof. (Dr.) Saranjit Singh completed his Ph.D. (Production Engg) from BIT Mesra, Ranchi, M.Tech. (Production Engg) from IIT Varanasi (Formerly IT BHU) and B.E. (Mechanical Engg) from Savitribai Phule Pune University. His teaching & research areas of interest are material processing technologies, metal forming of sintered, cellular, foam, polymer and metal matrix composites, competitive manufacturing strategies, cleaner manufacturing technologies, DFX methodologies, quality engineering and quality management. He had guided 5 Ph.D scholars and 25 Master’s Dissertation and had published / presented more than 100 research articles in the international & national journals, conferences and seminars. He has published 3 books in the area of material processing technologies and is also Fellow of Institution of Engineers (India). He served as Director (Industry Engagements) and Dean (Training & Placements) since 2011 at KIIT. He is a Former Dean of School of Mechanical Engg at KIIT from 2009 to 2011. Prior to this, he served BIT Mesra, Ranchi as Assoc. Professor in Dept. of Production Engg. Currently, he is also Professor at School of Mechanical Engg, KIIT.

Prof. K. N. Jena is a distinguished academician and administrator with over three decades of experience in higher education, specializing in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Patent Studies. He earned his M.A. and Ph.D. from Banaras Hindu University and has held several key leadership and academic positions across prestigious institutions in India.

He served as the Vice-Chancellor of Sparsh Himalaya University, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), and as Administrative & Academic Director at the National Forensic Science University, Tripura. At Tripura Central University, he held multiple roles including Professor & Controller of Examinations, Director, UGC Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion & Inclusive Policy, Director, Centre for Gandhian Studies, and Director, Directorate of Distance Education.

Prof. Jena has been Associate at the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla, and served on key selection, moderation, and evaluation committees of the Tripura Public Service Commission, West Bengal College Service Commission, Odisha Public Service Commission and the UGC Minor Research Project Committee.

A prolific scholar, he is the author of 13 reference books on globalization and global studies and has published 50+ research papers. He has presented over 300 papers at national and international conferences and served as Visiting Professor at over 30 Indian universities and
universities in Belgium, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark.

Prof. Jena’s contributions reflect his commitment to inclusive education, policy research, and global academic collaboration.

Prashanta Kumar Routray has been serving as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), since April 2005. For the last five years, he has been holding charge as the Registrar of KISS Deemed to be University. KISS is the largest Integrated Residential Academic Institution for the indigenous communities. Thirty thousand tribal students, from kindergarten to the university level, receive free education, healthcare, vocational and athletic training at KISS. There are ten thousand more in ten satellite centres across Odisha.

In a thirty-eight-year-long working career, Dr. Routray has served three institutions in various capacities. He began his professional career at the Advanced Study Centre in Psychology at Utkal University, where he completed his Ph.D. in 1992. He joined the Centre for Youth and Social Development, (CYSD) a Bhubaneswar-based NGO specializing in capacity building, research, and advocacy for the tribal, rural, and urban poor in Odisha, in 1992. By 1994, he shifted from research to practice, taking over as a Programme Officer and Trainer. He rose fast and was heading the Panchayati Raj division at CYSD in 1996. Routray was promoted again in 1998 to the rank of a Programme Manager, leading entire divisions and major projects, coordinating with state and union governments and hundreds of professionals and volunteers on the ground. As a Program Officer, he was with LEPRA India, a NGO which works for mainstream rehabilitation of patients of Leprosy and other debilitating diseases, for a year between 2004 and 2005.

Routray specializes in academic and vocational training of students and the youth. He is the topper in the Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. As a practitioner of Organizational Psychology and Management, he has excelled in large-scale education delivery, strategic organizational planning and turnkey project management, training of trainers, and information and communication management.

Several national and international courses and workshops on these have subsequently strengthened his domain expertise. In 1998, for instance, he was in the Netherlands, attending a UNESCO certified training course on early child development at the AVERROES European Training Centre, Amsterdam.

At KISS, Dr. Routray is responsible for the overall institutional growth and development for both academic and non-academic activities. It primarily involves presiding over a contingent of over two thousand teaching and support staff and coordinating with various donor and collaborators such as the state and the union governments, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNESCO, The US Embassy, ORACLE Education Foundation, TISS, Give India, National Mineral Development Corporation, Tata Steel, BPCL and tens of other corporate bodies. He also looks after the research and advocacy at KISS, supervising the development project proposal for various issues relating to tribal development and research projects on aspects of tribal education and livelihood. A major part of his remit is to lead the engagement with government and non-government organizations about prospects of grant and fund mobilization.

Dr. Routray is a workaholic, typically spending 12 hours on an average in office, and believes in the hands-on style of leadership. In his spare time, which is a rarity, Routray loves to read and write. He continues to review papers for various journals on psychology, education, and development. Travel and music are two of his other favourites.

Easwar is a Chartered Accountant with over 42 years of experience in both public and private sectors.

Basanta is a seasoned professional responsible for day-to-day monitoring and supervision of infrastructure development work along with general administration of KISS. He also monitors infrastructure and developmental work of various branches of KISS established or being established in different districts of Odisha. Armed with an MBA and a Masters in Political Science, Basanta has rich experience in the development sector. Over the course of his two-decade-long career, as an indispensable Core Team member of KISS Management, he has positively contributed to several mega projects and events of KISS and its sister concern, KIIT. These include Green Initiative, 1st Khelo India University Games (2020), Indian Science Congress (2012); Four Guinness World Records by KISS, among others.

Rudra holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and NIS in Health and Fitness. He has been pivotal in identifying sports talent at KISS, training our students to perform nationally and internationally since 2006. Under his tutelage, KISS boys won U-14 Rugby World Cup in London in 2007. Rudra’s story has been the inspiration for a Bollywood movie ‘Jungle Cry’ (2021) featuring Abhay Deol, which portrays the success of the tribal boys from KISS. Rudra has also trained Ace Indian sprinter and KIIT student Ms. Dutee Chand to her Gold victory at the 100m event at the World University Games (2019) in Italy. Rudra is also a member of the Indian Delegation Officials and was Manager of the Athletics Team at the event.

Mr Panda has a BSc. Engineering (Electrical), MBA and Certified Energy Manager of Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Govt. Of India. Er. Panda has more than 25 years of expertise in the design and implementation of efficient mass cooking systems, Renewable energy projects such as solar power, solar heating and cooling, Biogas from Organic waste etc. Planning and implementation of many livelihood projects, field training.

Snigdharani Panda is an Associate Professor at the Department of Tribal Resource Management, Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. She has a rich academic background with a Ph.D. from Utkal University and has been a part of KISS since 2017. Prior to this, she served as an Assistant Professor at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology from 2008 to 2017.

Dr. Panda has a diverse range of expertise, including management, entrepreneurship, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). She has published extensively, with 37 journal articles, 1 book, 9 conference proceedings, and several other contributions. Her research interests are reflected in her numerous projects and publications, focusing on topics such as financial literacy, environmental conservation, and the role of social media in promoting women-owned businesses.

She has also been recognized for her contributions to academia, receiving several honors and awards, including an A+ grade for promotion under the CAS of UGC and AICTE. Dr. Panda is actively involved in various professional bodies and committees, contributing to the academic and research community.

Former Professor of Hindi, Ravenshaw University. ​She has carved a niche for herself as a well-known litterateur and critic in Hindi literature and also the author of many textbooks, with many honours accorded to her by cultural and literary bodies from various parts of the country. ​

Former Professor of Odia at Ravenshaw University. ​Well-known teacher and critic in Odia literary studies, Prof Satapathy has also won the distinction of being a member of Odisha Sahitya Academy and Fellow, Ministry of Human Resource and Development. ​

Former Professor of Geography, Utkal University. Prof. Panda has been UGC Professor Emeritus and Senior Fellow, ICSSR. ​ He was also Visiting Fellow of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine of Liverpool University on the British Council Fellowship and visiting faculty to Minnesota State University. He has won many prestigious prizes and received many honours for outstanding research in the field of environment.​ He has worked for many national and international agencies like WHO, UNDP, DFID and public sector organisations like Odisha State Pollution Control Board and Odisha State Disaster Management Authority. ​He has done noteworthy research and consultancy for Population Research Center, National Health Mission and population Survey the governments of Odisha and India. ​

Former Professor of Commerce at Utkal University. ​Prof Bal has been a prominent alumnus of Ravenshaw College, Utkal University and IIM-Ahmedabad. ​He has, to his credit, authorship of 7 books and over 83 articles. ​Prof Bal has won the distinction of being the President of the Indian Accounting Association, Member for Formulation of Higher Education Policy of Government of Odisha, NAAC Peer Team and various other such bodies. ​He has undertaken academic development projects for economically backward and autistic students. He has also received many awards, including IAA Research Foundation, Kolkata, and has been honoured as the ‘Most Inspiring Personality in Interview Times, 2017.​

Director and Special Secretary SCSTRTI and Odisha State Tribal Museum​. Former Vice-Chancellor, North Odisha University. Former Vice-Chancellor of North Orissa University. Currently, Prof Ota is Director and Special Secretary SCSTRTI and Odisha State Tribal Museum.​ He combines the scholarship of academic and administrative acumen of a bureaucrat, for he was a professor as well as an IAS officer. He has also wide experience of working with UNWFP, UNICEF, the World Bank and UNDP as an Anthropologist and as a Resettlement and Rehabilitation Expert.​

Director and Special Secretary SCSTRTI and Odisha State Tribal Museum​. Former Vice-Chancellor, North Odisha University. Former Vice-Chancellor of North Orissa University. Currently, Prof Ota is Director and Special Secretary SCSTRTI and Odisha State Tribal Museum.​ He combines the scholarship of academic and administrative acumen of a bureaucrat, for he was a professor as well as an IAS officer. He has also wide experience of working with UNWFP, UNICEF, the World Bank and UNDP as an Anthropologist and as a Resettlement and Rehabilitation Expert.​

Executive Member, Odisha State Higher Education Council​. Former Vice-Chancellor, G M University​. At the present executive member of Department of Higher Education, Government of Odisha and the State Pollution Control Board, Odisha. ​An alumnus of BHU and Professor of Bioscience, Pandit Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur. Prof Pati is well-known for his pioneering research in Human Chronobiology and his outstanding contribution to the scientific knowledge of Animal Behavior. ​He has been Council Member of the World Federation of Societies of Chronobiology, Japan, and the International Society of Subterranean Biology, Paris [2004-2012]. ​He has to his credit a bright track record of academic leadership.

Vice-Chairperson, Odisha State Higher Education Council. Former Vice-Chancellor, Utkal University​. He is former Vice-Chancellor, Utkal University, and currently the Vice Chairperson of Odisha State Higher Education Council. He was “Distinguished Scientist” and Head of the Laser and Plasma Technology Division in BARC and a preeminent associate with DRDO, ISRO, HBNI, Mumbai University and the University of Pune. ​Prof Das has been on the Advisory Committee of DST, Chairman of Planning Committee for Plasma schools​. Chairman of Program advisory committees of SERB, DST and BRNS. ​

Former Vice-Chancellor Ramadevi University (first Women’s University of Odisha). ​She was a renowned Professor of Economics, Dean of Social Sciences and Director of Women Studies Centre at Utkal University. ​Scholar and researcher of outstanding stature in the areas of Public Economics and Development Economics, Prof Mishra was a Commonwealth Scholar University of East Anglia, World Bank-India Fellow at University of Maryland and South Asian Research Fellow of Social Science Research Council, New York. ​She has been invited as visiting Professor to Calcutta University, Andhra University, JNU and TERI University, New Delhi. ​

Former Professor of Public Administration at Utkal University. Prof Tripathy is a specialist in the field of Gender Studies and Development Administration. ​She has been an associate of the Indian Institute of Public Administration, Institute of Public Policy Studies and Research and Development Research Institute, and has presented research papers at the World Congress in Political Science at Brisbane and Lisbon. ​

Former Professor of Philosophy, Utkal University. ​Prof. Panigrahi is a specialist in Buddhist and Jain Philosophy. ​He has been a member of the All Odisha Philosophy Association and the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi. ​He has been honoured by the Banaras Hindu University and Vishwa Bharati University, Shantiniketan.

Former Professor of Education, Mizoram University. Apart from a distinguished teaching career, he has research expertise in the fields of Teacher Education, Pedagogy of Education, Environmental Education and Human Rights. ​Prof Mishra is a life member of the All India Association of Educational Research, the Council of Analytical Tribal Studies and Mizoram Education Foundation. ​

Former Professor of Economics, ​Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University. Member, Staff Selection Commission, who has made a name for himself in teaching, research and academic administration. ​

Former Professor of Sanskrit and Distinguished Scholar of Sanskrit Literary Studies

Former Professor of Psychology at Utkal University. ​She has expertise in the field of mental health of young and elderly people. ​She has been associated with OXFAM, UNICEF and has been a member of OPSC. ​She has also served NCERT as a Subject expert and consultant. ​

Gurubari Sisa, ethnically from the Gadaba tribe of Koraput disitrict is a famed artiste of the indigenous dance form called Dhemsa. An exponent of this dance form, she has worked into it much variation. She has been teaching the Dhemsa dance to generations of young men and women of her tribe. She has performed many a time at functions organized by the Government of Odisha and won many accolades. As a Professor of Practice at KISS-DU she will teach the students the aesthetics and skills of Dhemsa dance.

Smt. Laxmi Sabar from Rayagada district is a traditional healer. She worships the gods and goddesses of her tribe and performs various rites of worship. She offers prayers to her divinities for the health and well-being of her community.

Smt. Shinde Wadaka lives in the village of Khajuri in the district of Rayagada. She is a noted weaver of the shawls that Dongaria Kandha men and women wear. The shawls with vibrant multi-coloured patterns and wonderful texture signify the ethnicity of her tribe. Besides that, she can teach the dance of Dongaria Kandhas.

Sri Laxman Sabar, a native of Rayagada district, is an exponent of the Saura Idital painting. In childhood, he loved to watch the walls of his community adorned with beautiful murals. Since childhood, he made up his mind to be a traditional painter. In the good old days, the Idital painters and muralists were held in great esteem. On the walls plastered with ochre-coloured earth, figures of the sixty-two divinities and their vehicles are painted in white with the powder of pounded rice. Sabara painting is a ritualized act, and Sri Sabar is an accomplished painter and conversant with the traditional pieties and rituals.

Samabari Sisha, an inhabitant of the Bandiguda village of Malkangiri, is an accomplished craftswoman of the ornaments worn by Bonda women. She uses a special kind of thread prepared out of a plant extract to string the coloured beads into a necklace. Among other things, the colourful and alluring necklaces also serve as the markers of the ethnic identity of Bonda women.

Shri Dakhina Murmu, ethnically a Santal, is from Mayrbhanj. He is a well-known exponent of the Danta dance of the Santal tribe. It is a martial dance form in which the youth participate with the traditional weaponries.

Sri Limbadhar Majhi belongs to the Kutia Kandha tribe and hails from Kandhamal district. He has been teaching the ethnic music of his tribe for decades. As a Professor of Practice he will teach the students of KISS-DU the Kutia Kandha dance form and the about musical instruments which the people of his tribe play while performing the dances.

Shri Kanda Charan Naik belongs to the Ho tribe, and is an expert of Warang Chiti script, the written form of the Ho tribe. He teaches the Ho language to the tribal youth and has dedicated his life to the development of his language. Currently, he teaches Warang Chiti to the KISS-DU students

Sardar Shri Hari Juang is from the Juang tribe of Kendujhar. As evident from the honorific Sardar, he is the chief or headman of his tribe. He commands everyone’s respect in his tribe and adjudicates on all important affairs of his community. He is also a noted exponent of Changu musical instruments and traditional Juang music.

Shri Masuram Gond is from Nabrangpur, and he belongs to the Gond tribe. He is a senior and renowned vocal artiste at All India Radio, Jeypore. He does not just teach songs, but also trains the youth in Dandar and Rela Rela dances of his tribe.

Shri Kuda Naik is a dehuri (tribal priest) of the Bathudi tribe from Kendujhar. He officiates the ceremonial pieties and is affiliated to the most sacred Badam ( Athara Deula) which is situated at Simlipal. He teaches Bathudi songs and dances.

Shri Somme Toppo is from the Oraon tribe of Sundargarh and an accomplished Karma dancer. He has been teaching the Oraon young men and women the Karma dance form.

Sri Sobharam Padhan is from the Kisan tribe of Sambalpur. He has been teaching the traditional Kissan dance called Naadu Nalna and has popularized this dance form all over Odisha.

Debendra has been associated with KISS since 2010. He is responsible for overseeing various administrative and operational functions of the institute, spanning across locations in Bhubaneswar, satellite centers, and other districts of the state.

As a key member of the core group, he collaborates with various offices and personnel associated with the Founder’s office, KIIT University, KIMS, KIIT International School, KIIT ITI, Kalinga TV, Kadambini, KIIT Temple trust, and other entities to ensure effective coordination and execution of diverse activities, programs, and visits. His responsibilities also involve liaising with government institutions, corporate partners, and other stakeholders at different levels to address crucial issues. At KISS, he works closely with the Core Committee to ensure the smooth functioning of the institute in all aspects, facilitate guest visits, assist various departments within the institute, and address any issues as needed.

Debendra also coordinates with district coordinators to ensure the successful execution of various activities, including addressing issues related to satellite centers, meeting the requirements and concerns of district administration, and maintaining and updating databases. He works in tandem with the operations, finance, and administrative teams to ensure the effective functioning of district offices and associated personnel. In the realm of research and development, he aids project teams in coordinating with various government stakeholders at the state and district levels, guiding the implementation processes. During his tenure with KISS, Debendra has successfully completed his M. Phil in Women’s Studies and a PhD in Sociology

Suraj brings diverse work experience from managing customers in the telecom sectors across the US and UK, operating systems and networking, to backend processing in the IT sphere. Following this, he transitioned into client-based services, further expanding his expertise when he ventured into FMCG, supply chain delivery, and logistics. At KISS, Suraj has spent more than a decade overseeing brand building, logistics, project management, and fundraising. His enthusiasm and dedication to empowering underserved communities are directly influenced by our founder.

Kadey is actively involved in initiatives involving the education of tribal children, primarily with issues including enrolment, mother tongue-based multilingual education and arresting drop-outs. He formerly oversaw the Employability Training Program funded by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), focusing on employability support initiatives among college graduates. Additionally, Kadey leads the Santali Khabar team, benchmarking innovative ways to collaborate with Odisha’s indigenous communities. Besides this, he renders support to KISS’ dynamic district teams. Kadey has also authored a book titled “Rethinking on Tribal Education”. Kadey is also the Convenor of KISS-DU’s Tribal Advisory Committee, wherein he provides strategic leadership and direction on all matters about the welfare and advancement of Indigenous students and the overall institutional development. He has previously worked within the domain of mental health, substance abuse and behavioural modification. Kadey has a Master’s degree in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and has completed his PhD from KIIT University.

Nizni holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai and is a development professional with nearly two decades of experience advancing inclusive, equity-driven initiatives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. Her work spans gender equality, social inclusion, Indigenous rights, climate mobility and resilience, migration and inclusive governance. She currently serves as Director of Projects and Research at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, where she contributes to cross-sectoral partnerships that bridge global development agendas with local realities. Her work focuses on enabling collaborative platforms that bring together multilateral institutions, academia, governments and communities to drive inclusive and sustainable outcomes. She plays a key role in strengthening engagement with the United Nations system advancing the UN Volunteers (UNV) programme to create opportunities for students from KIIT and KISS to work with UN agencies, supporting the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) Nelson Mandela Project on Social Change and building partnerships with UNESCO and other multilateral institutions. Her work spans across a wide range of SDG-aligned initiatives across climate action, Indigenous knowledge systems, sustainable food systems, social inclusion and transformative education, in collaboration with partners such as the University of Cambridge, the University of East Anglia, JICA amongst others. She also engages with national organizations and policy think tanks, contributing to research, knowledge generation and institutional processes like university ranking and accreditation that strengthen global positioning and impact. Through her work, she enables young learners to engage in policy dialogues and development platforms, amplifying voices from the Global South. Nizni has previously worked with UNDP, UN Women and the Asian Development Bank, collaborating across governments, civil society, academia and grassroots institutions.She works at the intersection of policy, partnerships and practice advancing inclusive development by connecting global frameworks with community-led change while fostering institutional partnerships and advancing systems-level change with lasting community impact. A Chevening Gurukul Fellow at the University of Oxford, a U.S. Department of State Professional Fellow and recipient of the GenderPro Credential endorsed by the GenderPro Alliance and George Washington University, she has also been part of the International School on Climate Mobilities supported by Earth Refuge and SOAS, University of London. She is listed as an expert with the UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab and contributes to global and national platforms through research, dialogue and knowledge exchange.

Sabyasachi holds a Master’s degree in psychology. He has over 22 years of experience on project management skills, particularly with respect to professional skills of Project Planning with Monitoring & Evaluation. . In the past, he has worked with different national and international agencies such as Spanish Red Cross on disaster management and disaster preparedness program, American Red Cross on Disaster mental health and psychosocial care and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on life skills and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive health, Sabyasachi brings his commitment to his current role as Senior Project Manager at Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS). He liaises and coordinates the life skills education program in the institute as well as in the State. He successfully advocated introducing life skills education in the Physical education curriculum. To add, he is a trainer on child rights and protection issues, life skills and Adolescent reproductive and sexual health.

Debendra is a development professional with experience in project management, planning, and capacity building in areas such as decentralised planning, local governance, livelihoods, skill development, migration, and community resilience, among others. He has worked with community-based organisations, international non-governmental organisations, and UN agencies. He supports planning and execution of development projects, SDG initiatives as well as technology-enabled blended skilling efforts at KISS. He also oversees partnerships with UN agencies. Debendra holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and has received training in Result-Based Management, International Organisation Management, and Sustainable Development Goals.

Adiroopa has worked across strategic branding and communications, institutional storytelling and global engagement initiatives at KISS for nearly a decade.

Currently serving as Deputy Director (Projects), she leads the redesign and content strategy for the organisation’s new website, strengthening how KISS presents its work in Indigenous education, Indigenous knowledge systems and the Sustainable Development Goals to global audiences. As part of the organisation’s SDG Centre and International Relations team, she also contributes to the design and implementation of conferences and programmes with KISS’ stakeholders, with a focus on SDGs 4, 5, 10, and 17, and is listed as an expert with the UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab.

In parallel, she leads branding and programme execution for the India Trek programme, an international engagement initiative hosted by KIIT University and KISS Foundation. Since its launch in 2024, the programme has engaged over 250 international delegates. Her role spans programme design, delegate coordination, branding and collaterals, some logistics and on-ground execution.

Academically, she holds degrees in Peace and Conflict Studies (Philipps Universität Marburg, Germany, and the University of Kent, UK) and English Literature (University of Minnesota Morris, USA). This interdisciplinary background informs an equity-driven approach that bridges grassroots realities with global conversations on education, inclusion and development. She is also a certified Compassionate Integrity Training facilitator (UNESCO-MGIEP, 2020) and a TCS-certified trainer for English and Communication Skills under the Free Employability Training Program at KISS (2018). She has also taught under the Department of English at KISS-Deemed to be University and as a Visiting Faculty at KIIT University’s School of Mass Communication.

In her work with Indigenous communities, Adiroopa remains mindful of her position as a non-Indigenous professional and actively works to centre Indigenous voices, ensuring that students and community members are the authors of their own narratives.

Aparupa Patnaik serves as the Deputy Director at the Center for American Studies, KIIT & KISS University. A trained sociologist and accomplished Odissi dancer, her work sits at the intersection of culture, education and social impact, using the arts as a powerful medium for identity, dialogue, and global engagement.

With expertise in art curation, cultural preservation and sociology, Aparupa leads initiatives that integrate creative expression with academic inquiry and community engagement. She plays a key role in designing and advancing interdisciplinary programmes that explore how art and culture shape societies and empower young people. At KISS, she oversees internships and volunteering initiatives, builds strategic partnerships and anchors the institution’s internationalisation efforts through flagship programmes such as the India Trek, the Global Faculty Programme and the English Access Program supported by the U.S. Department of State. Aparupa has also led high-impact collaborations beyond the classroom, including overseeing the development of a commemorative illustrated narrative on the evolution of KIIT & KISS in partnership with Amar Chitra Katha, translating the institution’s journey into an accessible and culturally resonant format.

A Gold Medallist in Sociology from Utkal University, she is an official constituency member of the Children and Youth Major Group of the United Nations Environment Programme, where she contributes to global conversations on sustainability and youth engagement. Her work in climate advocacy has been recognised internationally through the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Fellowship in Germany. An empanelled A+ graded artist with the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (Ministry of Culture, Government of India), Aparupa is also a nationally recognised cultural practitioner. As a professional anchor for Doordarshan National and a host for numerous national and international platforms at KIIT & KISS, she has shaped large-scale institutional narratives and audience experiences. Additionally at KISS & KIIT, she has also curated and led cultural productions, while also facilitating student mobility and international exchange programmes that broaden exposure and build global citizenship among learners.

Her contributions across academia, arts, and sustainability have been recognised by leading institutions and organisations across the country, reflecting her commitment to creating meaningful, culturally grounded and globally relevant impact.