Bengaluru: T A Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), a constituent unit of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) celebrated the Founder’s Day and conducted the 39th T A Pai Memorial Lecture. This is a momentous year as TAPMI is celebrating the Centenary Year of the founder, Late Shri. Tonse Ananth Pai, Padma Bhusan Awardee. Executive Director – Management Studies and Director, TAPMI Dr. Madhu Veeraraghavan welcomed the gathering. Key members of the founding family Smt. Vasanthi Pai – Trustee, MAHE Trust, Shri. U Ashok Pai, Sri Sathish Pai along with
Dr H S Ballal, Pro-Chancellor, MAHE and Lt Gen (Dr.) MD Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor, were present to commemorate the occasion.
A special cover was released on the occasion by Smt. Sharda Sampath Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka Circle who presented the same to Shri. U Satish Pai, Executive Chairman, Manipal Media Network Ltd. Late Shri. T A Pai’s nephew Dr Laxman G Prabhu fondly remembered his uncle and highlighted the many qualities that made him an inspiring figure. Dr. H S Ballal, Pro- Chancellor, MAHE highlighted the contributions of Shri. T A Pai in laying the foundation for the creation of modern Manipal. Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor, MAHE offered his felicitations on this momentous occasion. Dr Viswanathan Iyer Dean (Academics) at TAPMI moderated the event as the Master of Ceremony.
Dr. Harish Hande, Founder & Chairman – SELCO – Solar Light Pvt Ltd, was the Chief Guest for the event. A renowned social entrepreneur Dr. Harish Hande highlighted the societal role that management institutes like TAPMI must play, drawing inspiration from the life and work of Shri. T A Pai. Guest of Honor, Dr. L H Manjunath, Executive Director, Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project, spoke about his strong association with Shri. T A Pai as an employee of the Canara Milk Union and his enormous contribution to the region.
An award ceremony was held at the event to recognize long service employees of the institute. Professor Sulagna Mukherjee, Professor Animesh Bahadur, and Ms. Sudha B were felicitated for completing 10 years; Mr Narayan was felicitated for completing 30 years in the organization. The awards were presented by Dr. H S Ballal, Pro- Chancellor MAHE.
The event closed with Prof. S Sudhindra (Associate Dean – Academics) offering a vote of thanks.
Tonse Ananth Pai joined Syndicate Bank in 1943 as Deputy Manager. After holding several positions in the bank and being the General Manager from 1944 to 1961, he rose to become Managing director from 1962 to 1964. His stewardship of the bank is credited with several achievements – fastest growth, pioneering schemes, innovation in the mobilization of small savings, agricultural financing, and focus on the common man. After a little over one year, he rejoined Syndicate Bank in 1966 and was appointed its chairman in 1967. He was appointed as Chairman of Food Corporation of India in 1965. The Government of India appointed him Chairman of Life Insurance Corporation in 1970. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1972 and appointed as Union Minister for Railways. In 1973, he was given responsibility for the newly created Ministry of Heavy Industries, and subsequently, the Ministry of Steel and Mines. Shri Pai took over the Ministry of Industry and Civil Supplies in 1974 and thus became responsible for the industrial development of India.
