Bhubabeswar Chhatria, hails from the Kolha tribe and is a native of Nuapada district of Odisha. A research scholar from the School of Tribal Resource Management (STRM), KISS-DU who has the credit of being the sixth scholar from the School to have been awarded Ph.D. During a one on one interaction with Dr. Chhatria he shares his life’s journey.
“My life’s journey has been filled with challenges, but through perseverance, hard work, and timely opportunities, I’ve been able to overcome many obstacles. After completing my +2, pursuing higher education seemed nearly impossible due to my family’s financial constraints. It was a hand to mouth situation.
Just after my +2 results were published, I met Madan Singh Majhi, a student from KISS who is now serving as an Assistant Professor in Teacher Education at the College of Teacher Education, Balangir. He told me about KISS and how this unique institute offers free education, lodging, boarding, and many other facilities. At first, I found it hard to believe that such support could be provided entirely free of cost. But he encouraged me to contact Mr. Hurendra Parida who is the warden of the hostel. I had a word with him and he encouraged me to apply for the undergraduate course. That was the first time I traveled alone to Bhubaneswar by train, a journey etched in my heart and mind forever.
Before learning about KISS, I had already applied for +3 at Khariar Autonomous College and was selected for Education Honours. My parents even took a loan to help me secure admission there. However, continuing the course seemed uncertain due to our financial limitations. Just a day after my admission, I received a message from KISS asking me to report to the campus for admission and I joined the +3 Arts program with Economics Honours.
From that moment, KISS became a turning point in my life. It offered me every opportunity to discover my potential and gave me the courage to dream big. I was encouraged to participate in various competitions, which helped me grow both academically and personally.
During my final year of +3, I joined the TCS training program, which greatly enhanced my personality and employability skills. Although I didn’t secure a placement at TCS, I didn’t lose hope. I enrolled in a postgraduate program in Economics and began preparing for the UGC NET. I qualified NET on my first attempt. My goal, however, was to crack the JRF. I appeared again and even in my second attempt I qualified NET. But as they say third time is a charm and on my very third attempt that I finally got through JRF. This is immediately after I joined Ph.D. at KISS-DU.
While pursuing my Ph.D., I also got selected as an Assistant Professor in Economics (College Branch) through the OPSC recruitment process. I am now proudly serving at Government Women’s College, Balangir. Recently, I successfully defended my Ph.D. thesis titled “Role of Agricultural Credit in the Socio-Economic Development of Tribals.”
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Snigdharani Panda, Associate Professor and co-supervisor Dr. Sushanta Kumar Tarai, all RSC members, and the Department of Economics. I am deeply thankful to the KISS and KIIT families for their unwavering support. Above all, I express my sincere gratitude to our visionary leader, Dr. Achyuta Samanta Sir, whose compassion and dedication have transformed countless lives—including mine. His vision gave me the platform to rise and establish myself as a successful individual in society.
