This is how we shape the world
Knowledge that travels — from community to classroom to the world
At the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), research begins not in isolation, but in dialogue — between students and their communities, between traditional wisdom and modern inquiry, between Odisha’s tribal heartlands and the world.
For far too long, Indigenous knowledge has been studied but not authored. KISS changes that. Here, research is participatory, ethical, and rooted in lived realities — led by those who know their land, languages, and heritage from within.
Our scholars, many of them first-generation learners from 64 tribal communities, are redefining what academic research can be: not extractive, but empowering; not theoretical, but transformative.
Research Ecosystem
Where lived experience becomes scholarship
KISS Deemed to be University has established itself as a national hub for Indigenous and interdisciplinary research. Through structured mentorship, community linkages, and a curriculum informed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), KISS enables research that uplifts both the mind and the community.
Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das
Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das
Santha Kabi Bhima Bhoi
Prabada Purusha Biju Patnaik
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
Bhagwan Birsa Munda
Shaheed Laxman Naik
Pandit Raghunath Murmu
10 Research Centers
Centre for Indigenous Innovation and Entrepreneurship (KISS Innovation Incubator)
Centre for Sacred Groves
Centre for Indigenous Cultural Heritage and Diversity
Centre for Indigenous Science and Technology
Centre for Indigenous Knowledge on Herbal Medicines and Therapeutics
Centre for the Study of Indigenous Peoples Across the Globe
Centre for the Product Development of Underutilized Wild Edible Plants
Centre for Translation Studies
Centre for Women’s Studies
Centre for Folklore Studies
Seven Themes
Building new knowledge from ancestral wisdom
Each year, hundreds of KISS research scholars pursue studies that bridge Indigenous knowledge and global science across these broad research clusters.
Indigenous Knowledge & Sustainable Development
Traditional governance, agricultural practices and ecological wisdom that sustain livelihoods while protecting biodiversity.
Impact
Integrating Indigenous environmental ethics into climate and sustainability frameworks.
Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Rural Livelihoods
Women’s enterprises, self-help groups and digital markets linking traditional crafts to new economies.
Impact
Turning grassroots creativity into self-reliance and community wealth creation.
Education, Policy & Governance
Inclusive education models, reforms for tribal youth and alignment of Indigenous pedagogy with NEP 2020.
Impact
Creating policy insights that inform equitable education nationwide.
Language, Literature & Cultural Heritage
Research on Santali, Ho, Kui, Kuvi, and other tribal languages, oral histories, theatre and folklore.
Impact
Reviving and digitising oral archives, ensuring linguistic diversity in modern scholarship.
Science, Technology & Digital Inclusion
Biotechnology, nanoscience, AI, renewable energy and digital financial systems contextualised for rural India.
Impact
Demonstrating that Indigenous curiosity and scientific rigor are natural partners.
Gender, Equity & Social Transformation
Women’s empowerment, menstrual hygiene, microfinance, and representation research.
Impact
Generating gender-responsive policies linking social justice to development outcomes.
Environment, Health & Sustainable Food Systems
Nutrition, herbal medicine, forest produce, and food sovereignty among tribal communities.
Impact
Informing national food security and health agendas through Indigenous sustainability models.
100%
Indigenous Scholars
64
Tribal Communities
Impact
This model of research redefines representation. It ensures that Indigenous communities are not the objects of study, but the authors of their own narratives — shaping knowledge systems that influence both policy and academia.
From subjects of study to creators of knowledge
For many KISS scholars, research is a homecoming — a chance to document and dignify the traditions they grew up with.
- 100% of our doctoral and postgraduate researchers are from Indigenous backgrounds
- Students are mentored to conduct ethical, participatory fieldwork within their own communities
- Every research output is tied to real-world community benefit
Global Reach
Where Indigenous research meets international exchange
KISS collaborates with global universities, corporations, and development partners who share its belief that Indigenous knowledge can shape the world’s future. Each partnership is a co-created platform where local realities meet global ideas — and every exchange leaves both sides transformed.
Academic & Research
CHIRAG
University of East Anglia, UK
TIGR2ESS
University of Cambridge, UK
MTB-MLE Programme
UNESCO Awardee
Experiential Learning
- India Trek & Global Faculty Programme
- International Indigenous Volunteer Programme (IIVP)Immersive
- Indigenous learning for global scholars
Community Impact
- Mission UDAY
- Project Samarthya
- Kalinga Fellowship
- Life Skills & SRH Education (UNFPA)
- IBM SkillsBuild
- Nua Maa & Art of Giving
Impact
Through these collaborations, Indigenous voices from Odisha are finding space in global classrooms, policy dialogues, and research communities. KISS shows how respectful partnerships can transform local wisdom into shared global learning.
Research in Action
From ideas to transformation
KISS-DU’s research ecosystem does not end with publication — it feeds back into community empowerment, policymaking, and innovation.
Local-Language Campaigns
Research translated into awareness campaigns
Policy Recommendations
Informing state and central ministries
Pilot Interventions
Programs in education, health, and livelihood
Research Outcomes in Practice:
- Research on Indigenous entrepreneurship informs Atmanirbharshil Janjaati Yuva Udyami, KISS’ youth enterprise incubator
- Language documentation and AI research feed into Santali Khabar and the Kuvi Digital Keyboard initiative
- Sustainable food studies inspire curricular content in Indigenous Knowledge, Science & Technology programmes
A model for Indigenous-led academia
KISS has built something rare: an Indigenous university where global scholars come to learn, not just to teach.
Indigenous knowledge is not anecdotal — it is empirical, ethical, and evolving
Inclusive education produces both scientific discovery and social justice
