We wish we had Dr Samanta in our continent: Former Peru Prez

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ENARADA, Bhubaneshwar, October 22, 2015

If Dr Achyuta Samanta was born in Latin America, then the continent’s picture would have changed, said Former President of Peru Dr. Alejandro Toledo.

Receiving the prestigious KISS Humanitarian Award 2015 on October 22 at Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) campus in Bhubaneswar, Dr Toledo said persons like Samanta would have helped many Latin American nations including Peru to overcome poverty quickly.

Recalling his childhood days, Dr Toledo said he grew up in extreme poverty in a family of 16 siblings. “I was born in a poor family in the high mountains of Andes of Peru. I grew up in extreme poverty; seven out of 16 of my siblings died within the first year of birth. They died as they didn’t have access to health care, nutrition and sanitation. We wish we had a person like Dr Samanta in my country and my continent as he could have changed lives of millions of people as he is being doing in India. Dr. Samanta is changing the lives of millions of people here and we didn’t have Dr. Samanta,” he said adding that he had to his way up against all odds, obtained higher education from top universities of the U.S. and went on to be elected the President of Peru.

The prestigious KISS Humanitarian Award 2015 was presented to Dr
The prestigious KISS Humanitarian Award 2015 was presented to Dr. Alejandro Toledo, Former President of Peru at Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS),Bhubaneswar. Dr.Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT & KISS, Madam Eliane Karp-Toledo, R. N. Dash, Secretary, KIIT & KISS and Smt. Saswati Bal, President, KIIT & KISS seen in the picture. Photos by WWW.ENARADA.COM
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Dr. Toledo was the first South American President of indigenous descent to be democratically elected when he became President of Peru in 2001. During his five-year term, his central aim was the fight against poverty through investment in healthcare and education. As a result of social policies directed to the poorest of the poor, extreme poverty was reduced by 25 per cent in five years, and employment rose at an average rate of 6 per cent during his term.

Recounting the story of his life he said, his father decided to migrate from the mountains to the sea port when he was 4.5 years old. “I am of short height due to malnourishment, but I could save my mind. A shoe shining boy, President of Peru Dr. Alejandro Toledo.

newspaper seller to supplement the daily income, I come from where you come from. The challenge is same, even though the language and religion are different. You have the luck of being at KISS”, he told 25,000 tribal boys and girls of KISS.

“Education is the most effective weapon to slay poverty and inequality. I invite you to dream in order to be successful, but dream with your eyes open. Don’t get truncated by the impossibility of your dreams. We have a lot of things in common. It is an emotional and happy experience to be amongst 25,000 indigenous children, ” said Madam Toledo, adding that it is a great learning as Peru also has a sizeable indigenous population.
Smt. Saswati Bal, President, KIIT & KISS and Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder presented the award in the august presence of Madam Eliane Karp-Toledo, His Excellency Mr. J. J. Guillermo Betancourt Rivera, Ambassador of Peru to India, Mr. Carlos Jimenez Gil-Fortoul, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Peru in India and Shri R. N. Dash, Secretary, KIIT & KISS.

The prestigious KISS Humanitarian Award 2015 was presented to Dr
His Excellency Dr. Alejandro Toledo, Former President of Peru and Madam Eliane Karp-Toledo poses with Tribal children of KISS. Smt. Saswati Bal, President, KIIT & KISS looks on.
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The award citation recognized him as an “icon of hope and aspirations of millions of poverty stricken and indigenous aborigine people around the world.”

In her presidential address, Smt. Bal said, presenting KISS Humanitarian Award 2015 to Dr. Toledo was a great honour for the institute. His words will be a source of great inspiration for the students of the institute, she added. Welcoming the former President of Peru and the visiting dignitaries, Dr. Samanta said, the recipient is a beacon of light to the aborigines of South America and his concern for the common man and indigenous people is well known all over the world.

KISS HUMANITARIAN AWARD
The KISS Humanitarian Award was instituted by KISS, Bhubaneswar in 2008 to honour and recognize individuals with exceptionally high contribution to the society in various fields relating to social issues and who have distinguished themselves as true humanitarians.

The award is presented annually and its recipient is chosen by a high-level jury. KISS Humanitarian Award is being presented every year since its inception to great compassionate leaders of vision and concern for human values from different parts of the world.

Dr. Alejandro Toledo is the eighth KISS Humanitarian Laureate. Previous recipients of this prestigious award are: Ms. Anne F. Stenhammer, Former Regional Programme Director, UN Women, South Asia Regional Office (2014); Madam Albina Du Boisrouvray, Founder, FXB International, Switzerland (2013); His Excellency Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley, Hon’ble Prime Minister, The Royal Government of Bhutan (2012); Rt. Hon. Lord Nicholas Addison Phillips, President (Chief Justice) of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (2011); Rt. Hon. Sir Anerood Jugnauth, Eminent Social Worker & His Excellency the President of Mauritius (2010); Dr. Ham Kee-Sun, Eminent Educationist & Physician and Hon’ble President & Founder, Hanseo University, South Korea (2009); Ms. Edna Bomo Molewa, Noted Social Worker & Hon’ble Cabinet Minister, Social Development, South Africa National Assembly, South Africa (2008).

Shri R. N. Dash, Secretary, KIIT & KISS also spoke on the occasion, while Dr. P. K. Routray, CEO, KISS proposed the vote of thanks.

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