Achyuta Samanta, founder of three institutes, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) and Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) and BJD MP, has come forward to help people during the Covid-19 crisis. He spoke to Subhashish Mohanty of The Telegraph on his various initiatives to reach out to the people in distress during the nationwide lockdown.

Q. The number of coronavirus positive patients is increasing in the state day by day. What steps KIMS has taken so far in this regard?

A: When there is a war, it’s the responsibility of a warrior to jump into the frontline and help the state. After the crisis erupted, we decided to join the state government’s efforts at containing the spread of the disease and bringing relief to the people. With financial assistance from the Odisha government, we set up the India’s first Covid hospital within a week at KIMS. Later, we opened Covid hospitals at Bolangir and Mayurbhanj in association with KISS. I have also set up a dedicated Covid-19 hospital in my parliamentary constituency Kandhamal in collaboration with the district administration. With a dedicated support staff, we are managing 1,150 beds meant exclusively for Covid patients. Several virus patients have been treated and discharged from our hospitals so far. Under the leadership of chief minister Naveen Patnaik, we are successfully fighting this virus.

Q: You mentioned KISS. Where are the 27,000 tribal students who were residing in the KISS campus?

A: Just before the lockdown, we had sent them to their homes. With training from our institute in social distancing, they are now working as frontline warriors against coronavirus in their respective districts. They are creating awareness about social distancing and respiratory hygiene. However, we have started our classes for them online. Similarly, all students of KIIT are being taught through online classes. KIIT is the first university to have begun online classes for its students and in KISS, the students are in contact through WhatsApp groups.

Q: We have noticed your organisation is distributing lunch packets to police?

A: It is because of the dedicated police personnel that the lockdown is being strictly followed. Putting their lives at risk, they work as frontline warriors and work for people 24x7. To show our gratitude to them, we are providing lunch packets to nearly 1,500 police personnel in Bhubaneswar only on Sundays. The food packets contain jeera rice, mutton or chicken, curd and paneer.

Besides, we have been distributing cooked food among migrant labourers from Bihar who are stuck in Odisha. So far 40,000 food packets have been distributed. We are also distributing food and essential items to people stranded at different places in clusters so that they don’t have to venture out. Even we have joined hands with the organisation, Sakha, to provide ration and essential items to the members of transgender community in Bhubaneswar and Rayagada.

Q: We have come across reports that your organisation has come forward to help people in the Tibetan settlement of Gajapati in southern Odisha. Can you elaborate on this?

A: I have a great respect for Padmasambhava Monastery at Jiranga in Chandragiri. All help to the monastery has stopped. Realising the gravity of the situation, we have provided one month’s supply of food to the Tibetans living there. Besides, we have decided to adopt two Tibetan old age homes there. We will provide ration for 100 couples in these homes for a year.

Q: There has been accusation from a section of people that your organisation has received total financial support from the Odisha government to set up the separate Covid hospital on KIMS premises. What is your take?

A: It’s not money that is important. At this critical juncture, you have to rise to the occasion and see how you can tackle the challenges. It’s not only our organisation that has received money, many other organisations have also received funds. We have put our entire infrastructure and human resource at the government’s disposal to help people in distress at short notice. I don’t mind criticism. If you work there will always be people who will criticise you without appreciating the good things you do.

Q: A section of the people say you are doing all this with some personal interest in mind?

A: When super cyclone struck the state in 1999, we were (KIIT) only two years old. At that time we came forward to help people. I believe in the principle, “I Can Do Things You Cannot, You Can Do Things I Cannot; Together We Can Do Great Things.” With this motto in mind I have started arranging food even for stray dogs, cows, monkeys who were also facing problems. I have adopted 140 peacocks in the Chandaka area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.