-By Calvin T. Mhlanga, BCJ, 5th Semester
Following the Campus 18 Welcome Function titled, “KaleidoVerse” on 26 September, the three schools, KSMC, KSOFT, and KSFMS were awarded the First Prize in recognition of outstanding achievement in organizing the Welcome Function 2026. The programme was held at the Campus 18 Auditorium and was attended by students and faculty members who came together to celebrate the achievement.
Dr. Rajeev Kumar Panda, Dean, KSMC, KSFT and KSFMS, expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the students and faculty for their coordination and dedication. Referring to the award as a collective achievement, he highlighted that Campus 18 secured first place among 31 campuses. He gave special recognition to the coordinating faculty and highlighted the uniqueness of Campus 18, particularly its decorations, designs and overall coordination. Dr. Panda also commended the students for maintaining discipline throughout the day and acknowledged their important contribution to the success of the celebration. Emphasising the importance of teamwork, he thanked the entire department for their efforts and also appreciated the judges for their decision.
Following Dr. Panda’s address, Dr. Bidu Bhusan Dash, Head, KSMC, took to the podium and expressed his gratitude for the recognition. Speaking as the mentor faculty of the new Bachelor of Communication and Journalism batch, he reflected on the responsibility associated with guiding the students and expressed his hope that the mindset of excellence demonstrated during the event would continue in future initiatives. Prof. Ganeswara Mohapatra, Head, KSFMS, also addressed the gathering and appreciated the collective efforts behind the achievement and extended his best wishes to the team.
Following this, Ms. Ruby Nanda, Assistant Professor, KSMC, and Faculty-in-charge of the event, congratulated the students and faculty. She highlighted the discipline maintained by the students throughout the celebration and appreciated the support received from the authorities in making the event successful. Ms. Nanda also acknowledged the efforts that went into the decoration and overall presentation of the campus, while expressing her gratitude to the anchors and student volunteers for their support. Reflecting on the cultural programme, she described this year’s Cultural Programme as the best she had experienced, adding that it was something she had wanted to see in the campus for a long time. Emphasising the creative potential of the campus, Ms. Nanda noted that as a creative campus, its strengths should be showcased and put to good use. She encouraged the students to continue using their creativity and talents in ways that contribute to the campus and its future events. The recognition reflected not only the successful execution of the 2026 Welcome Function, but also the collaborative spirit, creativity, discipline and teamwork demonstrated by the Campus 18 community.
