In an unique gesture, the commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) comprising of erstwhile Soviet Russian States, nominated Achyuta Samanta, Founder, KIIT and KISS to receive two Gold Medals from their authoritative knowledge organization ‘ZNANIE’. The ‘ZNANIE’ medal and the ‘President’s Medal’ were presented by Efim Malitikov, President, Znanie to Samanta today in a glittering function held in Moscow. Samanta’s contribution in the field of education and his creation of KISS impressed the organization so much that member countries unanimously selected Samanta to get the coveted honours.

After the fall of Soviet Union, thousands of scientists, intellectuals from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) formed an organization and named it ‘IA Znanie’. Znanie meant ‘knowledge and science those being passed from one person to another’. This organization has the legacy of All-Union Society Znanie formulated by a group of eminent scientists, politicians of Soviet Union in 1947. In the month of December (19th December), 1947, a resolution with the signature of I. V. Stalin was passed in Duma (Russian Parliament) for the formation of ‘Znanie’, by a group of eminent scientists and political thinkers of USSR. Since then this award was given to eminent personalities every year after getting approval of Russian President.

This important body was recognized in 1991 through a resolution with the signature of the heads of states of Armenia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic of Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Georgia. The IA Znanie has affiliated centers in various member courtiers, which include Italy, Mongolia, Czech Republic, Japan, Rumania, Latvia, Estonia, China, Vietnam, Slovakia and Bulgaria. This unique body has the General Consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (UNESCOSOC) and United Nations industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Award of two prestigious medal to one individual from outside the member countries make Samanta the clear choice by countries participating in ‘dissemination of Knowledge’. Today being the most authoritative organization in the field of knowledge dissemination in the CIS Countries, IA Znanie has been making huge impact in today’s society. Considering the role, Samanta is playing in disseminating knowledge through KISS, members of the Executive body of IA Znanie unanimously resolved to award him the coveted Gold Medals.

Immediately after IA- Znanie announced Samanta’s name, the Moscow State Humanitarian University decided to confer M.Sc. (Honori Causa) on him, which Samanta received on December, 09 in the University Senate.