Tata Steel Signs an MOU with KISS

To foster tribal education especially for the children of the Tata Steel Parivar (the relocated families of Tata Steel’s upcoming steel project at Kalinga Nagar), Tata Steel has signed an MOU with The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) today.

The MoU is signed between Mr H M Nerurkar, Executive Director (India & South East Asia), Tata Steel Ltd and Mr Achyut Samant, Founder of KISS. As per the MoU, KISS and Tata Steel would jointly work in the field of education for the tribal population across the country while giving special attention to the tribal children of the displaced community. Both the organizations will work together in mainstreaming of tribals through advancement in education, technologies, research and vocation training. KISS and Tata Steel will also work together to promote, strengthen, disseminate and advance knowledge through research on indigenous tribal art & culture.

Known for its endeavor to bring a paradigm shift from mere schooling to innovative learning with emphasis on continuous life long education, KISS offers unique opportunity for formal and vocational education to thousands of neglected and deprived tribal children from aborigine society live in inaccessible remote corners of the state. At the moment, 63 children from various Tata Steel Parivar members are studying in KISS.

“In Tata Steel we have certain promises to our Tata Steel Parivar members. We have promised them for the educational development of their children. Till now, a good number of students are studying in KISS. This MoU is a next step for the all-round development of the students,” said Mr Nerurkar.

As part of its corporate social commitments towards rehabilitated families in Kalinga Nagar, Tata Steel has announced a scholarship programs for the children of these families so that they can enjoy the benefits of employment opportunities that would be available through industrialization of Kalinga Nagar. In order to encourage children of rehabilitated families who are keen to pursue higher education to receive professional and technical qualifications, Tata Steel has announced that the steel company would be providing them with scholarship support.

“We would be keen on tribal development by creating an appropriate forum for debates and promoting the awareness on right to education among the tribal communities. We also plan to network with similar institutions working on tribal children and share the information that is vital in this age for the comprehensive development of the children,” said Mr Samant.

KISS has been considered as a model tribal institution in the country that offers technical and higher education facilities from KG to PG which is affiliated by KIIT University, Orissa, India. It aims at their total development with free food, accommodation and education. The concept of residential school is replete with total self-development of a tribal child so that she/he can return to her/his roots and chalk out a descent living for herself / himself and entire family. Creating a conducive environment has always been an important focus of KISS education and livelihood programme.