National, November 21st, 2023.

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), an Institution of Eminence, deemed to be University, one of India's leading research focused educational institutions, held a convocation to discuss various aspects of its plans to align its academic approaches with the National Education Policy 2020. The discussion was led by Dr H.S. Ballal, Pro Chancellor of MAHE, Lt Gen (Dr) M.D. Venkatesh, VSM (Retd.), Vice Chancellor of MAHE, and Dr Giridhar Kini P, Registrar of MAHE. The MAHE leadership shared the framework for the institution's future operations and academic planning.

MAHE’s 31^st Convocation ceremony will take place over four days, 18^th and 19^th November and 25^th and 26^th November. The chief guests for each of the days will be: Lt Gen (Dr.) Narendra Kotwal, SM, VSM, Director and Commandant, Armed Forces Medical Colleges, Pune for Day 1 – 18^th Nov; Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), Govt. of India (New Delhi) for Day 2 – 19^th Nov; Prof. (Dr.) T G Sitharam, Chairman, All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE), New Delhi for Day 3 – 25^th Nov and Mr Vinod Easwaran, MD & CEO, Jio Payments Bank, Mumbai for Day 4 – 26^th Nov. The convocation will facilitate the graduation of more than 7000 MAHE students over the four-day event.

Among the university delegates were Dr Ranjan R Pai, President, MAHE Trust, Chairman-Manipal Education & Medical Group (MEMG), Mrs Vasanti R Pai, Trustee, MAHE Trust, Dr H.S. Ballal,Pro-Chancellor, MAHE, Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor,Dr Dilip G Naik, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Dr N N Sharma, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Dr Vinod V Thomas, Registrar, Evaluation, Dr Sharath K Rao, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Health Sciences, MAHE, Dr Narayana Sabhahit, Pro Vice Chancellor and Dr Giridhar Kini P, Registrar. They were also accompanied by the heads of all the MAHE institutes.

Speaking on the day 1 of the convocation, Chief Guest, Lt Gen (Dr.) Narendra Kotwal, SM, VSM, Director and Commandant, Armed Forces Medical Colleges, Pune, commented, “It is my honour and privilege to be here on this momentous occasion of convocation ceremony at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). Today marks the significant milestone in your lives as you transit from being graduates to professionals who will shape the future of health care.

As you are aware, we are witnessing a period of great transformation, both within our country and across the globe. India’s position and image within the global order today is one of a nation which is

proud of its heritage, confident of its capabilities and certain of its aspirations and goals. For our Nation to achieve its aspirations and goals, it is incumbent upon each one of us to commit to the philosophy of ‘Nation First’.”

On day two of Manipal Academy of Higher Education’s (MAHE) 31^st Convocation Day on 19 November distinguished guests graced the occasion to witness the graduation ceremony of the latest cohort. The event celebrated the achievements of the graduates, who were honored for their academic excellence.Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), Govt. of India was the chief guest of the day and delivered a stirring convocation address, urging the students to contribute to the nation's fortification and play a vital role in fostering self-reliance.

Speaking to the graduating students on the 2^nd day, Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), Govt. of India, said, “Our nation's notable success in navigating these turbulent times stems from our robust foundation in science and unwavering trust in its principles. The rapid development and widespread deployment of vaccines, diagnostic tools, PPE kits, and devices stand as a testament to the prowess of science—an invaluable lesson to reinforce our faith in its capabilities.

In this narrative of progress, institutions like Manipal Academy of Higher Education have played a pivotal role. Now, the torch is passed to you. It becomes your duty to carry forward this legacy, contributing to the continual growth and evolution of our formidable scientific foundation. The profound impact of COVID lies not only in its challenges but in instilling a resolute "can-do" mindset. It unveiled both our fragility and strength. Our collective achievements were not the result of individual efforts but a testament to the power of collaboration and the interconnectedness of humanity. COVID, amid its trials, underscored the significance of teamwork and networking—essential lessons to carry forward as we face and surmount future challenges together.

Today, you are graduating from a center of knowledge creation and knowledge distribution. You will be entering into life of applications of the knowledge you have acquired here. Pl take a message from me that never stop acquiring knowledge. Life is a journey and at every point, you will have the opportunity to learn something new. At the end of the day, it is "knowledge" that makes you confident, brings you respect, and makes you successful in whatever way you define success. Knowledge never goes to waste. It pays you in one way or the other and in the short term or long term. It makes you more acceptable and approachable.

May your paths be filled with purpose, and may you continue to inspire others as you've inspired us today. Here's to a future filled with endless possibilities and remarkable achievements to be the prelude to a lifetime of success and fulfillment."

Speaking at the Press Conference Dr H.S. Ballal, Pro Chancellor, MAHE, said, “Our founder Dr TMA Pai, in 1942, established the Academy of General Education as a society to provide technical and commercial education to all interested individuals. He was a visionary leader who excelled in multiple fields. He was a doctor, banker, and educationist all rolled into one. His initial goal was to train those who failed 10^th grade in vocational skills like carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, and masonry. The Academy went on to establish professional colleges in medicine, pioneering the country's first private self-financing medical colleges in 1953 despite opposition. Concurrently, colleges were started in engineering, dentistry, pharmacy, architecture, law, education, management, and more.

Kasturba Medical College, the flagship institution of MAHE, was the first private self-financing medical college founded by Dr. TMA Pai in 1953. It was the 29^th medical college in the nation at the time. Today, India boasts over 600 medical colleges, and we are proud that Kasturba has consistently ranked among the top 10 for over 20 years.

Dr. TMA Pai's dream of establishing a university was not realized during his lifetime. His beloved son Dr. Ramdas M Pai, the current Chancellor of MAHE, took over in 1979 and established Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) in 1993 by attaining deemed university status from the Government of India under UGC Act 1956. Dr. Ramdas Pai transformed Manipal into an international university township and pioneered Indian higher education abroad. His steadfast integrity has been the foundation on which today's Manipal is built.”

During the Press Conference Lt Gen (Dr) M.D. Venkatesh, VSM (Retd), Vice Chancellor, MAHE, said “Legacy of our university is built on pioneering efforts of visionary academicians, professors, thinkers, and perhaps, most importantly people who have dared to demand change. MAHE always benchmarks itself against global standards and sets time-bound action plans to achieve its stated goals and objectives. We are counted among the best academic institutions and our strong focus on internalization follows years of building relations with some of the best universities in the world to exchange ideas, cultures and best practices. We are looking into redefining our expertise for further connecting people and thoughts across an international network for the benefit of all our stakeholders”.

While the institution’s top-notch research infrastructure caters to our imminent needs, we will continue to fund and prioritise research in our latest phase of transformation. The Research defines our mindset and has been a hallmark of our excellence over the years. Moving ahead we will seek to continue our research journey with renewed vigour using our formidable national and international collaborations to take our scholarly output to the next level.

Dr Giridhar Kini P, Registrar, MAHE,spoke about the upcoming changes in academics, stating, "We envision MAHE evolving and adopting innovative ideas that address a wide range of academic challenges and provide solutions to overcoming them. Education is at a transformational point: Teaching methods are changing, and education systems are shifting from classroom concepts to more practical, experiential learning. Today's job market demands more from graduates, so we have stepped up our efforts and refreshed our academic assessments to increasingly emphasize innovation and entrepreneurship. This is the age where innovators are valued, and MAHE aims to provide an environment where students don't just learn course content but develop an enterprising mindset. We believe this will define our legacy in the coming years and make a mark on the country's educational landscape. We are also seeing a good placement and admission season and are hopeful that things will further improve. The implementation of the NEP policy is a welcome change and will definitely help build a stronger, value-based higher education system."

Concluding the ceremony, Dr Ashita Uppoor, Dean, MCODS, Mangalore extendeda heartfelt vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to dignitaries, parents, college faculties, students, press and media representatives, and everyone else gathered.