Dr. TMA Pai was the founder of modern Manipal. His son, Dr. Ramdas M Pai then took over the reins and made sure the University made rapid progress. He took education far and wide without compromising quality. That is the reason why more and more overseas universities are keen for a tie-up with Manipal University.

Campuses in Pokhara, Nepal, in Melaka, Malaysia and in Dubai, UAE were all started with his initiative and each is in a class of its own. Since quality is one of the virtues very dear to the heart of Dr. Pai, high standards is the mandate for every campus.

A medical graduate, an alumnus of KMC, Manipal and a postgraduate in Hospital Administration from Temple University, Philadelphia, USA, Dr. Ramdas M Pai began his career as a hospital administrator at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal way back in 1961 and along with his father, he too ventured into the world of education. The development of various institutions of education and health care thereafter is a saga of perseverance and dedicated work.

Getting the deemed university status in 1993 was the crowning glory for Dr. Ramdas Pai in his efforts to build centres of excellence. Dr.Ramdas M.Pai has been a strong advocate of Public-Private partnership in higher education and healthcare and has been articulating a vision for the future of India in which higher education which builds up the nation’s intellectual capital, plays a vital role with the government transforming into a facilitator and a catalyst rather than a mere regulator promoting the cause of higher education, improving access and upgrading standards.

Dr. Ramdas Pai’s commitment to excellence, vision and organizing ability has played a decisive role. The cumulative effect of all these efforts has resulted in foreign exchange earnings to the nation of Rs.73.91 crores during 2005-06, treatment of over 150 lakh patients in the Manipal Group Hospitals, direct employment to more than 13,000 persons, indirect employment to over 25,000 persons who could not go to school, who do not own land, are not trained in any craft nor can get any government jobs, artisans, craftsmen, etc.

Dr. Ramdas M Pai is guiding the destinies of the Manipal campus as the President and Chancellor of Manipal University and the President of Manipal Education and Medical Group. Under his inspirational and dynamic leadership, the Manipal Group of educational and healthcare institutions are poised for further expansion and diversification. He is also the Pro Chancellor of the Sikkim-Manipal University of Health, Medical & Technological Sciences, Gangtok, Sikkim. He is also the President of TA Pai management Institute, Manipal and Registrar of the Academy of General Education, Manipal.

Dr. Ramdas Pai has contributed to education and professional education at the national level. He was a member of the Medical Council of India, Dental Council of India, Senate and Syndicate of Mangalore University, National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and numerous other educational, business and social organisations. In 2000 he was nominated by the Union Minister of Human Resource Development to a special six-member committee to advise the Ministry on Higher Education

The most noteworthy milestone was the deemed university status granted by the Government of India to the medical, dental and nursing colleges in 1993 under the banner of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education. That was a shot-in-the-arm for Dr. Pai who set out establishing other institutions like the Sikkim-Manipal University, Gangtok, Sikkim-Manipal Institute of Technology, Gangtok, Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Nepal and others.

Dr. Pai’s contributions to education have been recognised nationally and internationally. He received a number of awards and honours in recognition of his community service which include, National Professor of General Practice / Family Medicine in 1992 by IMA College of General Practitioners; Dr. B.C. Roy National Award for Community Health Work presented by the President of India in 1993; Intellectuals Honor – The Great Son of the Soil award by All India Conference of Intellectuals in 1997; Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty of General Dental Practitioners (FGDP) of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 2004; Ernst and Young Entrepreneur Award of the Year 2004 in the services category and Deccan Herald Avenues HR Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award in February 2005. He has received the Phillips Medal of Ohio University, USA in recognition of public service.

Major Civic & Business Awards

• Award of Philanthropy by Bunts’ Sangha, Bombay in 1992
• ‘Konkani Prathibha’ award by Konkani Bhasha Prachar Sabha, Cochin in 1994
• Award by World Konkani Convention in 1995
• Govt. of Karnataka Honour in 2006 during celebration of Suvarna Karnataka Year
• Chanakya Award 2008 – National awards for achievers by Public Relations Council of India