Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) was founded by Achyuta Samanta in 1992-93. Previously a junior lecturer in a government-aided college in Bhubaneswar, Samanta reportedly has over 60 honorary doctorates. He joined BJD in 2018 and was nominated to Rajya Sabha. A diplomatic row was triggered after KIIT allegedly ignored harassment complaints of Nepalese student who died by suicide.