Manipal: Rajeev Chandrasekhar reminiscesas Manipal University alumni meet 2013

Manipal, Dec 22 2013:

About 500 alumni, some who have studied in Manipal University more than 25 years ago, gathered here over the weekend to celebrate the reunion. On Saturday at the sixth Annual Alumni Meet, two of them from the 1980s, Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP, and alumnus of Manipal Institute of Technology and Dr Unni Karunakara of Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, were honoured with the distinguished alumni award at a glittering function at fortune Inn Valley View.

There was a lot of cheerful bonhomie as old friends met up after many years and recalled the time they had spent together in Manipal University. “There is a world of change now. Manipal has changed tremendously. And we’re happy to see the exciting changes” they all said.“The university campus wears a completely new look,”  Mr Rajeev who was coming back to the campus after about 10 years said. And for those who are visiting the campus after two decades or more, couldn’t believe the development.

In his address after receiving the award, he recalled some of the favourite joints, favourite faculty, favourite things he did here, favourite food, the good times and the not-so-good. He expressed joy at being bestowed the honour and admitted that it meant a lot to him, more than all laurels he has earned in the last two decades.

“This is clearly adestination for world class institution and is a matter of immense personal pride to me and all the alumni who have come here today from all over the world,” he said. He also thanked Manipal University for shaping his future. “I am what I am today, because of Manipal University,” he said. “ I came to this University after three days of journey from Delhi as a nondescript person and when I left four years later, not just with a degree, but also with a collection of experiences and an outlook towards life and ambition that I never possessed before coming here,” Mr Rajeev said. 

“I made my moment in the sun in the area of technology from the first floor of the MIT building in the computer centre which had a DCM Spectrum 7 machine, the holy grail of computing those days. I was introduced to many things here which I remain passionate about even today. From there I was launched to IIT Chicago and then to the Silicon Valley as intern becoming witness and participant in the design and building of most of the technology you see around you today. And I met with and worked with names who are legend today like, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and others. So no matter where I am, I will always remember DCM Spectrum 7,” Mr Rajeev said.

DrUnni too recollected his days in KMC, Manipal and spoke of his journey from here as a doctor with an MBBS degree to the heights he has been able to achieve in all these years to the present time when he is covering 5000 kilometres on a bicycle from Kashmir to Thiruvananthapuram to create health awareness among the masses and talk to medical students along the way about community medicine.

Pro Chancellor Dr H.S. Ballal gave the welcome address and briefed the audience about the alumni meet held annually. Vice Chancellor, Dr Ramnarayan gave an overview of the University with a power point presentation and Dr Nagendra Swamy also made a power point presentation to give a brief on Manipal Health Enterprises. Dr Raviraj V Acharya, Director Alumni Centre presented the alumni report and spoke about the future plans.

On Sunday, the MIT alumni of 1988 batch celebrated Silver Union at the institute premises. Dr H.S. Ballal, Pro-Chancellor, Manipal University was the chief guest of the function. Two alumni were honored with “Distinguished Alumnus award”. They were: Mr Sanjay Khanna, APAC, IT supplier Manager, NCR Australia Pty Ltd, a reputed electronic data processing equipment company in Australia, and Mr Ganesh Prasad, CEO at Mocha Merlot Business Builders, a company that helps business with startup, growth and divestiture challenges. Four alumni of the 1963 batch for whom it is a golden reunion were also felicitated. They are;  Mr K. Balagopal, Mr V.K.Gopinath, Mr Mohan Das and Mr Thomas George.