Inspirational community leader Dr TMA. Pai altered the Indian Educational System: Sri Vishvaprasanna Tirtha Swamiji

The 125th birth anniversary of its founder Dr TMA Pai was celebrated on Sunday, April 30 by the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE).

The Founder’s 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).

Sri Vishvaprasanna Tirtha Swamiji, Sri Pejavara Adhokshaja Math, Udupi 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, S 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, T Satish U Pai, executive chairman, Manipal Media Network Ltd, Manipal & vice president, AGE, Manipal and T Ashok Pai, president, Dr TMA Pai Foundation, Manipal, along with other senior officials of the Manipal Group.

Founder’s 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 progra, 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, His Holiness Sri Vishvaprasanna Tirtha Swamiji, Sri Pejavara Adhokshaja Math, Udupi, addressed the audience present and spoke about the incredible vision of Dr TMA Pai and how he transformed the Indian Education System.

Speaking about the celebration of Founder’s Day, Dr Ranjan R Pai, registrar, AGE, president – MAHE & Chairman, MEMG, Bengaluru, said “We honour our founder, Dr TMA. Pai, today. He was a self-made man with a dream & vision. The goal of this dream was to confront and address three fundamental issues facing society—poverty, illness, and illiteracy. Manipal Group currently stands out and is the pioneer in the domains of education and healthcare because of his dedication and efforts to achieve this dream. We intend to keep offering the people of this nation top-notch healthcare and educational services. We’ll continue working hard to serve and take his legacy forward.”

The chief guest, Sri Vishvaprasanna Tirtha Swamiji of Sri Pejavara Adhokshaja Math in Udupi, said, “I feel honored and delighted to be invited to this special occasion of the 125th Manipal Group Founder’s Day. The inspirational community leader Dr TMA. Pai altered the Indian Educational System, and the level of success Manipal has achieved now only serves to highlight how committed the current leadership and other members of Manipal are to improving society. Such dedication, commitment, and service to society are extremely uncommon to see. My revered Gurugalu (HH Padmavibhushan Dr Sri Vishvesha Tirtha Svamiji) had always held high regard towards Dr TMA Pai and recalled his commitment to the regional and national society and culture. It is enthralling to see that the present leadership continues the same vision of the founder through its community-engaging initiatives such as Dvaita Philosophy Resource Centre, MAHE Mahabharata research, Discerning Tulunadu, Yakshagana centre and other such projects that consecrate global academic research interest for the regional heritage. The Manipal group continues to scale new heights in healthcare and education while staying faithful to the vision and objective of their founder.”

Dr H S Ballal, pro chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education, said, “The philosophy of Dr TMA. Pai was to serve one’s family, friends, and the community at large. Dr TMA Pai was a believer in helping the average person succeed and encouraging everyone to realize their full potential, and his dedication towards education was exceptional. His esteemed son Dr Ramdas M Pai, who founded MAHE in 1993 and helped it grow into the global center of learning it is today, has continued his father’s legacy. Dr Ranjan R. Pai, who is now his grandson, represents the third generation of this family and is carrying on the legacy of his inspirational father and grandparents. Dr Ranjan is a pioneer in business in the domains of healthcare, education, and cutting-edge research.”

Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, vice chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education, said, “On this occasion of the 125th Birth Anniversary of our founder Dr TMA Pai, we are incredibly proud of MAHE’s progress in upholding his principles. Dr Pai’s principles of selfless devotion are more important than ever as the globe begins to recover from a catastrophic pandemic. Our aim is to give our students not only a high-quality education but also a secure environment in which they can thrive. We will continue to follow Dr Pai’s vision to practice patience and perseverance. The Manipal family will undoubtedly expand dramatically in the years to come with these ideals in place.”