Date:01/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/01/stories/2008050159330300.htm

Karnataka

Rama Jois hails T.M.A. Pai’s vision

Staff Correspondent

‘He knew how important education was to people’

Manipal: The former Governor of Jharkhand Rama Jois has said that the vision of the architect of “modern Manipal” the late T.M.A. Pai led to the creation of educational, health and financial institutions, which were now most sought after.

He was speaking at the Founder’s Day celebrations organised by Manipal University here on Wednesday.

Mr. Jois said that education was essential for all human beings.

The Constitution had made the right to education a fundamental right. Everyone up to 14 years had to have education. T.M.A. Pai had realised the importance of this, he added. Mr. Jois said that Indian society was not rights-based but duty-based. He quoted Swami Vivekananda who said that he who lived for others led a contented life.

T.M.A. Pai was a example of such a life.

“Manipal University like the ancient Nalanda University attracts students from all parts of India and the world,” he said.

Director of Medical Education S. Ramananda Shetty said that presently education was an investment in human resource development. All future development revolved around the quality of human resource.

But for T.M.A. Pai, education was a long-term investment in inculcating human values and in building democratic and civilised societies. It was the basis for building a good nation, he said.

Donors to Manipal University, G. Krishna Nayak, K. Krishna Prabhu, Mithra Bhandarkar and G. Shankar were felicitated on the occasion.niversity

Ramdas Pai welcomed the gathering. President of Dr. T.M.A. Pai Foundation K.K. Pai, and president of the Academy of General Education K. Mohandas Pai were present.