Pics: Kevin Rodrigues
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi
Udupi, April 30: Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) celebrated the 124th birth Anniversary of its founder Dr TMA Pai on Saturday, April 30. The Founders’ Day was also celebrated by other institutions of the Manipal Group like Dr TMA Pai Foundation, Academy of General Education (AGE), Manipal Media Network Limited and Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG).
N Vinaya Hegde, Chancellor, Nitte (Deemed to be University), was the chief guest of the event.
The celebration was also attended by dignitaries from the Manipal Group like Dr Ranjan R Pai, registrar, AGE, President –MAHE & chairman, MEMG, Bengaluru, Vasanti R Pai, trustee, MAHE Trust, Dr H S Ballal, president, AGE, Manipal & Pro Chancellor, MAHE, Manipal, Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, vice chancellor, MAHE, Dr Narayan Sabhahit, registrar, MAHE, T Ashok Pai, secretary & treasurer, Dr TMA Pai Foundation, Manipal and MAHE officials.
Founders’ Day is celebrated every year on April 30 to honour and remember the legacy of Dr TMA Pai, founder of the Manipal Group, who developed the barren hilltop of Manipal into an education hub of international fame. This year’s celebration included several programmes, which began with a floral tribute to Dr TMA Pai by all the dignitaries. Dr H S Ballal, president, AGE, Manipal & pro chancellor, MAHE welcomed the gathering. The chief guest N Vinaya Hegde, chancellor, Nitte Deemed to be University, addressed the audience present and spoke about the incredible vision of Dr TMA Pai and how he transformed the Indian education system.
The evening also included awarding of merit scholarships and distribution of cash prizes to students for their hard work and excellence in various fields.
Speaking about the celebration of Founders’ Day Dr Ranjan R Pai, registrar, AGE, & chairman, MEMG, Bengaluru said, “Today we pay tribute to Dr TMA Pai, our founder, a self-made man who had a dream. The dream was to confront and tackle the three main problems of society i.e. illiteracy, ill-health and poverty. Through his dedication and efforts towards this cause, the Manipal group today stands a class apart and is the pioneer in the fields of education and healthcare. To this day our core values mirror the ones established by Dr Pai. Just like our founder, we believe in hard work without the expectation of rewards. We aim to continue providing excellent educational and healthcare services to the citizens of this country. We will strive to continue in his footsteps and take his legacy forward."
Chief guest, N Vinaya Hegde, chancellor, Nitte (Deemed to be University) said, “I am extremely pleased and honoured to be invited to this special occasion of the 124th Founders’ Day of the Manipal Group. Dr T.M.A Pai was an inspirational community leader who transformed the Indian Education System. Such commitment towards service is very rarely seen and the scale at which Manipal has succeeded today just shows how the current leadership and other members of Manipal are equally dedicated towards the betterment of the society. They have stayed true to their founder’s vision and mission and continue to achieve new heights in education and healthcare."
Dr H S Ballal, Pro Chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education said, “Dr TMA Pai’s philosophy was service to one’s family, friends, and others. He believed in serving the common man and helping every individual to reach their maximum potential to achieve success. His commitment to education was unparalleled. His legacy was carried forward by his illustrious son Dr Ramdas M Pai who established MAHE in 1993 and helped it flourish into the international hub of education it is today. Now his grandson, Dr Ranjan R Pai represents the third generation of this family and is continuing on the path set by his visionary grandfather and father. Dr Ranjan is at the forefront of enterprise in education, healthcare and cutting-edge research in both the fields."
Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, vice chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education said, “As we remember our founder on this day, we feel extremely proud of MAHE’s journey to date in following his values. The world is recovering from a deadly pandemic and now more than ever we find Dr Pai’s values of selfless service to be extremely relevant. Our goal is to not only provide quality education to our students but also to provide a safe environment for them to flourish. Dr Pai believed in persistence combined with patience and that is what we will continue to adhere to. With these beliefs in place, the Manipal family will surely grow exponentially in the years to come."
Dr H S Ballal welcomed the gathering, Dr Sharath Rao, dean, Kasturba Medical College, gave the brief intro about the guest of honour, Dr Narayana Sabhahit, registrar, proposed the vote of thanks and Princiya Nikita Dias compered the event.
In the morning, a floral tribute was offered to Dr TMA Paion the occasion of 124th birth anniversary of Dr TMA Pai programme at Edu MAHE Building, Manipal. Vasanti R Pai, trustee, MAHE Trust, Dr Ranjan R Pai, registrar, AGE, & chairman, MEMG, Bengaluru, Shruti Pai, Dr H S Ballal, president, AGE, Manipal & pro chancellor, MAHE, Manipal, Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, vice chancellor, MAHE, Dr Narayana Sabhahit, registrar and other MAHE officials, staff were present on the occasion.