New Delhi: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu Tuesday presented the National Commission of Scheduled Tribes Leadership award to the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Bhubaneswar, and two others for their significant and exemplary services towards scheduled tribes in the country.
The Vice President conferred the award after delivering the ‘First Foundation Day Lecture of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes’ here. The theme of the Foundation Day lecture was ‘Constitution and Tribes’.
The awards were given in three categories — Educational Institutions/ Universities, Public Sector Undertakings/Banks and Public Service rendered by an Individual, NGO or Civil Society.
The Vice President conferred the award to KISS in recognition of their significant contribution towards education of tribal children in Odisha and neighbouring states from kindergarten to post graduation. The award has been received by KISS founder Achyuta Samanta.
Central Coalfields Ltd., Ranchi and Dr Pronob Kumar Sircar, Tribal Welfare Officer in Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti (AAJVS) have also been conferred the award.
The Vice President, while delivering a lecture, said, “We shall first have to give up this hubris of considering tribes as backward. Every tribe has a rich and living cultural tradition and we must respect them. It not only social courtesy to respect their cultural traditions but it is also our Constitutional obligation.”