KISS Student in Archery Training Camp for 2016 Olympics
In a major achievement, archer Ranjit Naik, a student of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), has been identified as a potential medal winner in Olympic Games and included in the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme for the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympics by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Govt. of India. A high-level Identification Committee of the Ministry recommended Ranjit’s name along with five other archers in ‘Senior Men’ category. The identified athletes would be provided support, which includes funds, competition exposure and training, under the Scheme for preparation for the quadrennial mega event.
Ranjit, who hails from Bhuyan tribe of tribal dominated Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, was selected because of his stellar performance at national and international level in the recent past. He has represent India in the Senior Recurve Round for World Cup Stage 1 in Shanghai, China; World Cup Stage-II Archery Championship in Turkey from 24th May to 1st June 2015; Second Asian Grand Prix Archery Championship in Taipei, China from 16th to 20th October 2014 and World Youth Archery Championship in Wuxi, China from 11th to 20th August 2013, where he won the Silver Medal. Recently, he completed training at Kolkata and proceeded to Patiala for further training.
Congratulating the prodigious KISS archer on the success, Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder, KIIT & KISS said, it was his long standing dream that KISS will one day produce Olympians who would bring laurels for the State and the country, and Ranjit is on the way to fulfill this dream. Students of KISS will continue to bring pride for the institute and the State at national and international level in various sports disciplines, he added.
Seven years back, Dr. Samanta has first recognized Ranjit’s talent. Since then, he has been grooming him with all amenities, faculties and sophisticated archery equipment, including appointment of a special coach. Such support has resulted in his identification as a potential Olympics medal winner.
It is a dream come true for Ranjit’s parents – Sukura Naik and Pramila, who are poor farmers. Expressed their happiness, they said, it is incredible that the boy, who once had no food and scope for education, is now set to get a chance in Olympics. It has been possible only due to Dr. Samanta’s support and blessings, they added.
Members from various tribal communities also congratulated Ranjit for his great success and said, KISS is a unique institute in Odisha where the poor tribal children are getting chance to fulfill their dreams and translate their inherent qualities to reality.