Bhubaneswar: Nita M. Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, received the prestigious KISS Humanitarian Award 2025 at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) campus in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
Mohan Munasinghe, Nobel laureate from Sri Lanka, presented the award in the presence of Achyuta Samanta, founder of KIIT, KISS, and KIMS. Senior officials, dignitaries, and a large number of students attended the ceremony.
The award recognised Ambani’s humanitarian efforts and her contributions to social development through education, healthcare, rural transformation, women’s empowerment, and sports promotion under the Reliance Foundation, KIIT said in a release.
In her acceptance speech, Ambani said that Dr. Samanta had built two modern temples of education – KIIT and KISS – and described them as a matter of pride for the country. She expressed that receiving the award was an honour for the entire Reliance Foundation team, not just for her.
Addressing nearly 40,000 students, she said that she would always remember the love and affection she received at KISS. She described her visit to KIIT and KISS as a privilege.
Ambani also expressed that she felt overwhelmed to visit the land of Lord Jagannath and highlighted Odisha’s rich culture, traditions, and the strong connection of its people with nature.
Ambani emphasised gender equality and said there is no difference between boys and girls in terms of capability. She advised students to dream big and work hard with dedication to achieve their goals. She also urged them to stay on the path of righteousness and noted that she saw the future of India in the students of KISS, expressing confidence that the country’s future is bright.
The KISS Humanitarian Award, instituted in 2008 by Dr. Samanta, is the highest honour of KISS. It recognises individuals and organisations for their contribution to humanitarian work across the world. The award includes a citation scroll and a gold-plated trophy.
