TAPMI Bengaluru Marks Founders’ Day With Launch Of Centre For Social Empowerment
Share
T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), a constituent of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University, celebrated its annual Founders’ Day at the Ramdas Pai Auditorium, MAHE Bengaluru Campus, Yelahanka. Held ahead of the 104th birth anniversary of Padma Bhushan Tonse Ananth Pai, the event brought together leaders from academia, industry and the social sector, along with faculty and students, to reaffirm the institute’s legacy of purpose-driven management education.
Padma Bhushan Shri T. A. Pai, born on 17 January 1922, was a pioneering institution builder who shaped India’s financial and public-sector landscape as Chairman of Syndicate Bank, the first Chairman of the Food Corporation of India, and Chairman of LIC. He founded the Manipal Institute of Management in 1980–81, later renamed TAPMI, with social responsibility at the core of management education. In this spirit, TAPMI Bengaluru marks Founders’ Day by engaging with and honouring leaders who build business solutions with social impact.
This year’s celebration was marked by the launch of the Centre for Social Empowerment (CSE), reinforcing TAPMI Bengaluru’s commitment to socially anchored and impact-led management education. Reflecting on the launch, Prof. (Dr) Madhu Veeraraghavan, Pro Vice Chancellor, MLHS and MAHE Bengaluru, conveyed his best wishes to TAPMI and described the Centre as a significant milestone in advancing socially responsible management education and impactful CSR initiatives, a long-standing vision of the founder, Padma Bhushan Shri T. A. Pai.
The Centre for Social Empowerment was officially inaugurated by Dr Raghavendra Prabhu P, Additional Registrar and Director of Administration, MAHE Bengaluru. Addressing the gathering, he said, “The inauguration of the Centre for Social Empowerment ahead of our founder Shri T. A. Pai’s 104th birth anniversary reflects his belief that management education must focus on social empowerment. The Centre bridges knowledge and action, nurturing leaders who combine business excellence with social impact.”
Delivering the T. A. Pai Memorial Lecture, Chief Guest Mr Kushal Raj Chakravorty, Founder and Managing Trustee of Lotus Petal Foundation, spoke about the deep divides within India. “India as a nation is divided into three segments. India 3 represents nearly 100 million households, or around 300 million people, surviving on an annual per capita income of Rs 80,000 or less. India 1 reflects the booming part of the economy, while scale exists in India 2. But the future of our country lies in India 3, and this gap can be addressed through education,” he said. Sharing a personal reflection, he added that service is the most authentic path to self-realisation and urged young minds to pursue impact without separating inner purpose from outer action.
The launch was attended by alumni and Guests of Honour, including V. Prem Kumar, Global HR Executive and Head of HR–APAC at Omnissa, and Swaminathan Chandrashekhar, Director – HR Business Partnership and Head of HR, India Capability Center, Cargill.
The Centre for Social Empowerment is a multidisciplinary platform that addresses challenges such as unemployment, inclusion of indigenous communities, financial and digital literacy, entrepreneurship, access to basic amenities and healthcare. Working through a network of for-profit and not-for-profit organisations across underserved regions, the Centre focuses on research, capacity building and structured collaboration among academia, government, industry and civil society to translate knowledge into on-ground impact.
Collaboration with the Lotus Petal Foundation will strengthen student engagement through co-designed education programmes, sustained community interaction and hands-on research experience. The Centre has also signed memorandums of understanding with NCUI and United Way Bengaluru, with additional partnerships in the pipeline, including Sutradhaar, Tinker Labs, SELCO and Intended Impact Creation.
Speaking on academic integration, Prof. Navaneetha Krishnan, Dean, TAPMI Bengaluru, said that countries grow faster when underprivileged communities are included in the economic system. “Responsible business practices can help reduce inequality and poverty, paving the way for sustainable development and inclusive growth,” she said.
Social responsibility is embedded in TAPMI Bengaluru’s pedagogy. Through its Social Internship Programme, undergraduate BBA students work with social-purpose organisations to design human-centred, feasible and scalable solutions. In 2025 alone, over 280 students collaborated with more than 190 organisations. Outstanding projects were recognised and awarded during the Founders’ Day programme, which also honoured project grants and the institute’s best researchers.
Through these initiatives, TAPMI Bengaluru continues to honour the legacy of T. A. Pai by turning vision into action and nurturing leaders who understand the link between business success, community well-being and sustainable development. By integrating social responsibility, inclusive growth and sustainability into its curriculum and programmes, the institute continues to deliver management education that is purpose-driven, socially conscious and globally relevant.
