TAPMI Bengaluru Advances Socially Responsible Management Education On Founders’ Day With Launch Of Centre For Social Empowerment.

Bengaluru, Karnataka, 16th of January, 2026 : 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. The event, held ahead of the 104th birth anniversary of Padma Bhushan Shri Tonse Ananth Pai, 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 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, embedding social responsibility at the core of management education. In this spirit, TAPMI Bengaluru celebrates Founders’ Day by engaging and honouring leaders who build purpose-driven business solutions for social impact.

This year’s celebration was highlighted 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 of the centre, Prof. (Dr) Madhu Veeraraghavan, Pro Vice Chancellor, MLHS & MAHE Bengaluru conveyed his best wishes to TAPMI on the success of CSE launch highlighting a significant milestone to socially responsible management education and impactful CSR initiatives, a long-standing vision of our founder Padma Bhushan Shri T.A. Pai.

The Centre for Social Empowerment (CSE) was officially inaugurated by Dr Raghavendra Prabhu P, Additional Registrar & Director Administration, MAHE Bengaluru who while addressing the gathering noted, “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.

Chief Guest Mr. Kushal Raj Chakravorty, Founder and Managing Trustee of Lotus Petal Foundation, delivering the T. A. Pai Memorial Lecture,observed that “India as a nation is divided into three divisions. This India three is almost 100 million households, and about 300 million people who are surviving on annual capita of Rs 80,000 or less. India 1 is basically the booming story of India. Scale is in India 2. But the future of our country is India 3, and the gap can be filled through education. While growing up I realised that the purpose of life is self-realisation and the most authentic way of self-realisation is through service. My message to the crowd: it does not need to make a choice between inner purpose and outer impact while building a clarity of self. Creating a substantial impact is what the brightest minds should focus on.”

The launch was also attended by alumni and Guests of Honour: Mr. V. Prem Kumar, Global HR Executive and Head of HR–APAC, Omnissa, and Mr. Swaminathan Chandrashekhar, Director – HR Business Partnership and Head of HR, India Capability Center, Cargill.

The Centre for Social Empowerment (CSE) is a multidisciplinary platform addressing challenges such as unemployment, inclusion of indigenous communities, financial and digital literacy, entrepreneurship, access to basic amenities, and healthcare. Through a network of for-profit and not-for-profit organisations across underserved geographies, the Centre focuses on research, capacity building, and structured collaboration among academia, government, industry, and civil society, translating knowledge into meaningful on-ground impact.

The collaboration with Lotus Petal Foundation will enhance student engagement through co-designed educational programmes, sustained community engagement, and hands-on research experience. The Centre has also signed MoUs with NCUI and United Way Bengaluru, with additional partnerships in the pipeline, including Sutradhaar, Tinker Labs, SELCO, and Intended Impact Creation, to advance education, community engagement, and collaborative research.

Highlighting academic integration, Prof. Navaneetha Krishnan, Dean, TAPMI Bengaluru, emphasized saying “Any developing country will flourish faster if the underprivileged people are included in the system and could contribute to the exponential national growth. One way of doing it is through transformation in the way people undertake businesses. If taken in a responsible manner, it can lead to reduction in Inequality and Poverty, paving the way for sustainable development and inclusive growth”.

Social responsibility is deeply 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, with outstanding projects recognised and awarded during the Founders’ Day programme. The event also honoured project grants and the institute’s best researchers, celebrating excellence in both applied and academic contributions.

Through these initiatives, TAPMI Bengaluru not only honours the visionary legacy of Shri T. A. Pai but transforms it into action, cultivating a generation of leaders who understand that business success, community well-being, and sustainable development are interconnected. By integrating socially responsible practices, inclusive growth, and sustainable thinking into its curriculum and programmes and advancing key priorities across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the institute continues to provide management education that is purpose-driven, socially conscious, and globally relevant.

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