Author: chandan giri

The Department of Community Medicine, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Bhubaneswar, has entered into collaboration with Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, to conduct a series of sessions for the Collaborative Module-Based Dissemination Programme for Specific Cancers. 

The event was organized under the guidance of Prof. (Dr.) Sonali Kar, Professor and the Head of Department of Community Medicine, KIMS along with Dr. Snigdha Singh, Assistant Professor, who served as the organizing secretary. The inaugural session was on the “Training and Capacity Building Programme on Oral Cancer Prevention, Early Detection & Tobacco Cessation,” which aimed to equip future and current healthcare professionals with vital oncology and preventive medicine skills. The programme was designed for faculty members, interns, and postgraduate students from diverse healthcare disciplines, including Community Medicine, Psychiatry, Pulmonary medicine, Nursing, Dental, and the Kalinga School of Public Health (KSPH). 

The program received foundational support from the Dean and Principal, AVM Prof. (Dr.) RC Das and the Vice-Principal, Prof. (Dr.) Lalatendu Mohanty of KIMS. The inaugural session was graced by the Associate Dean of Research, Prof. (Dr). S. Patro and the Director of the School of Public Health, Dr. Ramya Pinnamaneni.

The invited faculty for this endeavor was Dr. Subita Patil, Professor & Physician, Dept. of Preventive Oncology, CCE, who led the team from Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, Dr Saswati Priyadarshini, Medical Officer, EDP Khordha and Dr. Swapna Sarit, Senior Research Fellow (Medical), EDP Khordha.

Through their session, they shared their experience and addressed the gathering on “Risk Factors & Evidence for Oral Cancer Screening; Tobacco Control Legislation: Current Implementation; Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders: Clinical recognition; Community based oral cancer Screening Model: TMH field experience; Patient Navigation and Cancer Registry Linkages and Tobacco Cessation: Brief Interventions and Counselling”.

Prof. (Dr.) Sonali Kar addressed the gathering which was followed by her insightful talk on “Epidemiology of Oral cancer in India”. Dr. Snigdha Singhpresented a session on “Burden and statistics on Tobacco use and Oral cancer in India”.

Dr. Angana Ray, Senior Resident of the Community Medicine Department, supported the program and spearheaded the postgraduate students from the department, Dr. Satyaprakash Mishra, Dr. A. Shalem Raja and Dr. Sambit Sahoo whose hard work ensured the event’s seamless execution. The program was successfully compared by Dr. Subhadra Mishra and Dr. Abhipsa Mohanty. Through initiatives like this, KIMS continues to reinforce its commitment to tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through rigorous education, capacity building, and collaborative healthcare excellence. The sessions were very well appreciated. e-certificates were provided to all the participants. More sessions and workshops are being planned under this collaboration.     

Post Graduate Student Achieves the First Position in the  National Blog Writing Platform (IAPSM)
The blog titled  “The red secret: A tribal woman’s story of silence and strength. ” by Dr. Priyanka Mohanty, 3^rd year post graduate from the Department of Community Medicine, KIMS has secured the first position in the IAPSM Blog writing platform for the cycle January- March 2026.  The link for viewing the blog : https://iapsm.org/blog/the-red-secret-a-tribal-womans-story-of-silence-and-and-strength/ . The department congratulates her for the thought provoking message through her write-up.

The EDex Awards 2026, presented by Indianpreneur, celebrated outstanding contributions in education under the theme “Empowering Educational Excellence.” The prestigious ceremony was held on 30^th May 2026. Kalinga Institute of Nursing Sciences, KIIT Deemed to be University was awarded “Best Nursing College of the Year 2026”. This honour acknowledges KINS as a leader in nursing education, recognized for its holistic curriculum, student welfare initiatives, and consistent academic excellence. KINS was awarded on the basis of the following key achievements:

Institutional Excellence: KINS has demonstrated a strong commitment to nursing education that integrates critical thinking, clinical competencies, and professional skills.

Student-Centric Approach: Monthly stipends, annual academic excellence awards, and a 100% placement record reflect its dedication to student success.

Societal Impact: The institute’s broad-based education model addresses evolving healthcare demands, preparing graduates to contribute meaningfully to society.

Global Standards: Recognition aligns with KINS’s pursuit of international benchmarks in healthcare education.

The EDex Empowering Educational Excellence Award 2026 bestowed upon KINS is a testament to its unwavering dedication to quality education, student empowerment, and healthcare innovation. This recognition honours past achievements while setting the stage for continued leadership in nursing education.

The EDex Awards brought together leaders, educators, and innovators shaping the educational experiences of students nationwide. Winners exemplified the values of empowerment, innovation, and excellence, serving as inspiration for future educators and healthcare leaders.

For KINS, this recognition positions the institute as a benchmark in India’s nursing education landscape, reinforcing KIIT’s reputation for innovation, compliance with global standards, and leadership in preparing healthcare professionals for the future.

Eminent educationist and social reformer, and Founder of KIIT, KIMS and KISS, Dr. Achyuta Samanta, has been conferred the AAPI Award for Transformational Social Work & Indo-US Partnership by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) at its annual convention, AAPICON 2026, held in Tampa, Florida, USA.

The award was presented during AAPICON 2026 and AAPI’s 44th Congress, held from July 2 to 5, in recognition of Dr. Samanta’s outstanding social service, visionary philanthropy, transformational humanitarian initiatives, exemplary support to AAPI during the Global Health Summit 2026, and his significant contribution towards strengthening Indo-US partnership.

The award was presented to Dr. Samanta by Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, President, AAPI in the presence of 3,000 physicians.

The association also lauded Dr. Samanta for his lifelong dedication to social service and his unwavering commitment to uplifting the underprivileged through education, healthcare and humanitarian initiatives.

AAPI is one of the oldest and largest organizations of physicians of Indian origin in the United States, representing more than 120,000 Indian-origin doctors. Its members serve communities across the United States, and more than 3,000 physicians attended this year’s convention.

On July 4, coinciding with United States Independence Day, Dr. Samanta was invited as the Guest of Honour and keynote speaker at a special session of the convention. In his address, he praised AAPI’s outstanding contribution to healthcare and community service while highlighting the importance of stronger collaboration between India and the Indian Diaspora in advancing global health.

Dr. Samanta also appealed to AAPI physicians to dedicate a few days every month to providing healthcare services in India. Responding positively to his appeal, AAPI expressed its support and assured that its member doctors would endeavour to spend 7 to 15 days every month offering medical consultation and healthcare services in India.

In an exemplary show of coordinated medical expertise, doctors at Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Bhubaneswar, saved the life of a 22-year-old businessman from Rourkela after an arrow pierced through his chest in a rare and highly critical injury.

The patient sustained a grievous injury in an unfortunate incident when an arrow became lodged deep inside his body. His family rushed him to several hospitals, but due to the complexity of the case and the high risk involved, none of them took up the case and removed the arrow; a decision that ultimately proved crucial in saving his life.

With little hope left, the family brought him to KIMS, where a multidisciplinary team of specialists from the Department of General Surgery, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS), Anaesthesiology and other supporting departments immediately planned an emergency operation. The team was led by Dr. Amaresh Mishra, HOD, Department of General Surgery. The other surgeons included Dr. S K Sahu, Dr. P S Pujari, Dr. D Hota, Dr. S Samal, among others.

Explaining the complexity of the surgery, the team from the Department of General Surgery said such cases are extremely rare and highly dangerous.

“These types of injuries are very risky. In many cases, patients die at the moment the arrow is removed because it may be preventing massive bleeding. One fortunate aspect in this case was that none of the hospitals they visited had attempted to remove the arrow. That gave us the opportunity to plan the surgery properly,” the doctors said.

The surgical team first opened the abdomen and then the chest to assess the extent of the damage.

“When we opened the chest, we found that the arrow had pierced the lung. By God’s grace, it had narrowly missed the heart. As soon as the arrow was removed from the lung, significant bleeding started, which had to be controlled immediately. The entire operation was a coordinated effort involving multiple departments, including the CTVS team. We are extremely satisfied with the outcome,” they said. The damaged portion of the lung was successfully repaired during the surgery.

“The injury to the lung was repaired, and the patient has recovered well.  He has left for his home, looking forward to leading a completely normal life,” the doctors said.

Expressing gratitude to the doctors, the patient’s brother said the family had almost lost hope after being refused treatment at multiple hospitals.

“We went to several hospitals, but all of them turned us back because the case was very complicated. Finally, we came to KIMS, where the doctors immediately took charge. We are deeply thankful to the doctors and the entire hospital for saving my brother’s life. The quality of treatment and care here is exceptional,” he said.

The Founder of KIIT, KISS & KIMS, Dr. Achyuta Samanta has congratulated the doctors for their accomplishment as he emphasized the advanced care and treatment provided to the patients at KIMS.

Prof. (Dr.) Sai Chandan Das from the Department of Community Medicine, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), brought laurels to the institution by winning the Best Poster Award at the National Conference on Mental Health Education and Promotion (MHECON 2026), organised by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), an Institute of National significance, in Bengaluru on 19^th and 20^th of June 2026.

His award-winning poster, captioned “Neurobehavioral Disorders in the Community: Translating Evidence into Programmatic Action” was highly appreciated for its relevance to community mental health and its emphasis on translating research evidence into practical, community-based public health action.

Further adding to his achievements, Dr. Sai was also invited to serve as a judge for the Postgraduate Poster Presentation Session during the conference. The session featured several innovative and impactful research presentations by postgraduate students from across the country, aligned with the conference theme, “Bridging Knowledge, Practice, and Innovation in Mental Health Education.”

MHECON 2026 brought together academicians, researchers, mental health professionals, policymakers, and students from India and abroad. The conference featured a rich scientific programme comprising keynote lectures, panel discussions, workshops, oral presentations, and poster sessions, all focused on strengthening mental health education and promoting evidence-based, community-oriented approaches to mental healthcare.

These accomplishments reflect the academic excellence, research commitment, and growing national recognition of KIMS faculty members, further reinforcing the institution’s dedication to advancing public health, mental health, and medical education.

The Department of Community Medicine under the able leadership of Prof. (Dr.) Sonali Kar and a team led by Dr. Krishna Mishra, Associate Professor and In-charge of immunization clinic, KIMS along with the immunization faculty supervisor, Prof. (Dr.) S. Suneeti Kanyari successfully conducted The National Pulse Polio Immunization Programme on 28^th June at PBMH, KIMS.

To ensure maximum beneficiary foot falls, banners in English and local language were displayed at high patient and community activity points. Awareness videos on Pulse Polio Immunization in official and local languages were continuously played on screens at various transit points of the Hospital, Pediatric and Obstetric wards. All the vaccines had been procured from the government and the reporting was done as per standards. Those who had missed the campaign were given the service on the next day as per standards. Two dedicated immunization booths were established at the KIMS Immunization Clinic to facilitate the smooth administration of polio drops to eligible beneficiaries (under 5 children). The programme was graced by the presence of Medical Superintendent, Dr. Manas Ranjan Behera and other faculties of the department. All possible logistics and co-operation was provided by the management of KIMS and PBMH.

Current interns’ batch was used in operational tidiness of the programme, which was to the satisfaction of all.

The booth witnessed an impressive turnout, with a total of 373 beneficiaries on the first day. The programme also received appreciation from a inspecting delegation team from the World Health Organization (WHO) Odisha branch for the continued commendable efforts in polio campaigns since the last 2 years. They complimented the community friendly arrangements, efficient teamwork, and the impressive beneficiary turnout.

RHTC Kalarabanka Pulse Polio Immunization Programme:

The Pulse Polio Immunization Programme was also successfully implemented at the Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC), Kalarabanka under Community Medicine Department  by establishing immunization booths and administering oral polio vaccine (OPV) to all eligible children below five years of age at the AWC and through outreach booth. The booth witnessed a turnout of 120 beneficiaries. Awareness activities, including health education and community mobilization, were conducted to ensure maximum participation. The programme was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Geeta Chand Acharya (In-Charge RHTC) and Prof. (Dr.) Sai Chandan Das (Supervisor In-Charge) and healthcare staff targeting good immunization coverage. 

The successful conduct of the National Pulse Polio Immunization Programme at KIMS reflects the institution’s continued commitment to safeguarding children against poliomyelitis and promoting National and state led public health initiatives under participatory and collaborative approach.

Dr. Varsha. M. Totadri, Assistant Professor, Department of Paediatric Surgery, KIMS became the first ever recipient in India of the Pradeep Puli Reddy Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Centre Scholarship in Paediatric Urology, in association with Indian Association of Paediatric Surgeons.

As the first ever recipient and selected candidate, she represented her department, hospital, state and organization in CCHMC, Ohio for an observer-ship in Paediatric Urology under the tutelage of Dr. Pramod Reddy- one of the most eminent Paediatric Urologists in the world. CCHMC is a premiere institute catering to paediatric care and in the forefront of Paediatric super specialized surgical care.

Gaining this exposure, she has not only created a continuum of learning, but also extended the collaboration for future Paediatric Surgeons and Urologists alike. She had an extensive clinical and research programme with the opportunity to work with some of the most prominent surgeons in the field of Paediatric Urology, Paediatric MAS and Paediatric Urological Robotic surgery.

The institute is extremely proud of this once in a lifetime achievement, being the first of its kind in India for this scholarship. KIMS fraternity wishes her all the best for her future endeavours to spread her wings and knowledge alike. Her feat is truly a stepping stone of success for the Department of Paediatric Surgery, as well as KIMS. 

Dr. Nirmal K Mohakud, Professor of Pediatrics at KIMS and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Integrated Medicine and Research, was the Key Speaker at the release of the new issue of the Odisha Medical Journal (OMJ).

The event, organized by IMA Odisha at IMA House, Cuttack, saw participation of over 100 doctors across various branches, including past OMJ editors and the current IMA President and Secretary

Dr. Mohakud delivered a faculty development lecture on “How to Write Methods, Results, Discussion & Conclusion,” equipping researchers with effective paper-writing techniques for publication in high-impact peer-reviewed journals. The workshop fostered collaborative academic growth, showcasing KIMS and KIIT’s leadership in advancing medical research in Odisha.

ORIGIN- The Undergraduate Medical Research Society of Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) successfully conducted its inaugural induction ceremony, marking the beginning of an exciting journey towards fostering research culture among undergraduate medical students.

The event commenced in the presence of principal, AVM Prof. (Dr.) R. C. Das; associate Dean of research; Prof. (Dr.) Shubhransu Patro, member secretary, Prof. (Dr.) Ipsa Mohapatra, senior faculty members; and faculty leads of the society whose encouragement and support set an inspiring tone for the society’s future endeavors.

A formal introduction of the faculty panel, senior members, core committee, and student members followed, highlighting the collaborative team that will drive ORIGIN’s vision of promoting research excellence and academic curiosity.

Dr. Vikas Medhi addressed the gathering with his insightful words, motivating students to embrace research as an integral part of their medical careers.

The induction was followed by an engaging introductory session on medical research delivered by Prof. (Dr.) Sakir Ahmed, Senior Consultant, Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology. His session provided students with a foundational understanding of research methodology and emphasized the importance of scientific inquiry in advancing healthcare.

As ORIGIN embarks on its journey, KIMS looks forward to nurturing young researchers, encouraging innovation, and creating opportunities for meaningful academic growth.