Sukanta Parida Conferred 'Excellence in Higher Education Leadership 2026' at Times Now Education Summit

Parida has been associated with Centurion University since 2019, when he joined as Head of Admissions. He currently leads initiatives covering admissions and student recruitment, marketing, institutional communication, physical and digital outreach, stakeholder engagement and industry academia partnerships.

During his tenure, the university’s student admissions increased from over 2,400 to more than 6,000. His work has included expanding student outreach through digital platforms, grassroots engagement and counselling, while strengthening interactions with schools, industry partners, government organisations and other stakeholders. Through the digital outreach and effective media planning the brand positioning from a regional brand to national brand happened in these years. The student recruitment from across country from all states. During this period, he has been able to initiate and effectively increase the international admissions from 10+ countries.

The recognition comes amid ongoing changes in India’s higher education sector, where institutions are increasingly focusing on employability, industry exposure, skill development, technology-enabled learning and student outcomes.

Speaking on the recognition, Sukanta Parida said, “I am deeply honoured to receive the Excellence in Higher Education Leadership 2026 recognition. I see this award as a reflection of the collective efforts of the institutions, colleagues, students, industry partners and stakeholders with whom I have had the opportunity to work throughout my professional journey. Higher education is undergoing a significant transformation, and I remain committed to contributing to an ecosystem that is more industry-connected, skill-oriented, inclusive and focused on meaningful student outcomes.”

Parida has more than 24 years of professional experience across education, technology, marketing, business development, skill development and entrepreneurship. Prior to his current leadership role at CUTM, he worked with organisations including ICFAI, HCL Learning, iNurture Education and ICA Edu Skills in areas including admission, branding, marketing, business development, leading profit centres, industry engagement and skill-based education.

His professional background also includes co-founding a software venture in 2002 that served more than 50 educational institutions across eastern India. 

The ‘Excellence in Higher Education Leadership 2026’ honour adds to his professional journey in the education sector, particularly in admissions, institutional outreach, industry engagement and student-centric higher education initiatives.