Bengaluru, NFAPost: Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) celebrated the 124th birth Anniversary of its founder Dr TMA Pai on Saturday. The Founders’ Day was also celebrated by other institutions of the Manipal Group like Dr T M A Pai Foundation, Academy of General Education (AGE), Manipal Media Network Limited and Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG).
Nitte (Deemed to be University) Chancellor N Vinaya Hegde was the Chief Guest of the event. The celebration was also attended by dignitaries from the Manipal Group like AGE Registrar, MAHE President & MEMG Chairman Dr Ranjan R Pai, MAHE Trust Trustee Vasanti R Pai
AGE President and MAHE Manipal Pro-Chancellor, Dr H S Ballal, MAHE Vice Chancellor Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, MAHE Registrar Dr Narayan Sabhahit, Dr T.M.A Pai Foundation Secretary & Treasurer T Ashok Pai and Manipal and MAHE officials.
Founders’ Day is celebrated every year on 30th April to honour and remember the legacy of Dr T M A 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 programs, which began with a Floral Tribute to Dr T.M.A Pai by all the dignitaries. Dr H S Ballal, President, AGE, Manipal & Pro Chancellor, MAHE welcomed the gathering. The Chief Guest Shri N Vinaya Hegde, Chancellor, Nitte Deemed to be University, addressed the audience present and spoke about the incredible vision of Dr T.M.A 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, AGE Registrar & MEMG Chairman Dr Ranjan R Pai said the orgnisation pays tribute to Dr T.M.A Pai, 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,” said AGE Registrar & MEMG Chairman Dr Ranjan R Pai.
He said 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,” said AGE Registrar & MEMG Chairman Dr Ranjan R Pai.
Chief guest Nitte (Deemed to be University) Chancellor N Vinaya Hegde said he is 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,” said Nitte (Deemed to be University) Chancellor N Vinaya Hegde.
Manipal Academy of Higher Education Pro-Chancellor Dr H S Ballal said Dr T.M.A 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,” said Manipal Academy of Higher Education Pro Chancellor Dr H S Ballal.
He said 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,” said Manipal Academy of Higher Education Pro Chancellor Dr H S Ballal.
Manipal Academy of Higher Education Vice Chancellor Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh said as he feels extremely proud of MAHE’s journey to date in following its founder’s 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,” said Manipal Academy of Higher Education Vice Chancellor Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh.
