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Newsmakers of the Week JUNE 06, 2025 | The Indian Eye 30

NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK

Selected stories about Indian diaspora from our website www.theindianeye.com

NETRA SHETTY DR. ACHYUTA SAMANTA

Cornell varsity Honors Scholar CUNY Launches Institute

for Social Work Named After Educationist

n a landmark moment for Indian academia, the City University of New
York (CUNY) has established a research center named after Dr. Achyuta
ISamanta, founder of KIIT and KISS. The ‘Achyuta Samanta India Initia-
tive CUNY Crest Institute’ (ASIICCI), inaugurated this week, is the first U.S.-
based research center to honor an Indian educationist.
Dr. Samanta was also awarded the CUNY Presidential Medal—its highest
honor—for his transformative work in tribal education and humanitarian service.
The ASIICCI will offer American students research opportunities fo-
cused on Odisha’s heritage and Dr. Samanta’s pioneering model of social up-
liftment. Over 80,000 tribal children have benefited from his work.
Dr. Milton Santiago, President of Bronx Community College, proposed
the institute after visiting KIIT and KISS in Bhubaneswar. “This center will
ornell University has honored Netra Shetty ’25 with the prestigious foster cross-cultural understanding and highlight one of the world’s most im-
University Relations Campus Community Leadership Award for her pactful educational visions,” Santiago said.
Ctireless service to the Ithaca community and commitment to harm re- Samanta called the recognition “a moment of great pride” for Odisha
duction initiatives across New York. and India.
A student of Biology and Society in the College of Arts and Sciences,
Shetty is also a Hunter R. Rawlings III Cornell Presidential Research Scholar. GANESH THAKUR
She began volunteering with the Ithaca-based Ultimate Reentry Opportunity
(URO) as a freshman, supporting those impacted by incarceration and addic- Academic Becomes First UH
tion.
“Netra didn’t shy away from tough realities,” said Taili Mugambee, URO
coordinator. “That was the substance that kept her coming back.” Professor to Lead TAMEST
Shetty helped build collaborative initiatives involving multiple community
sectors, emphasizing collective vision and equity. Her work at the Ithaca Free r. Ganesh Thakur of the University of Houston has been appointed
Clinic furthered her commitment to accessible healthcare, and her research president of the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science
on opioid use prevention revealed racial disparities in access to harm reduc- Dand Technology (TAMEST)—the first UH faculty member to lead the
tion tools—insights with the potential to influence public policy. prestigious body.
Monica Yant Kinney, interim vice president for university relations, pre- TAMEST unites top scientists, including Nobel laureates and national
sented the award, praising Shetty’s empathy and drive: “Her public health academy members, to tackle society’s most pressing challenges. “I want to
research and community service reflect a deep dedication to health equity.” give UH more visibility and create opportunities for our faculty,” Thakur said.
Shetty’s parents and sister joined the May 14 ceremony virtually from Cal- As a professor of petroleum engineering, Thakur brings deep expertise to
ifornia. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in medicine—continu- his leadership. He will oversee TAMEST’s operations and host its annual con-
ing her mission to serve underserved communities. Continued on next page... >>

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