My dentist in Dubai is an affable, warm and welcoming sort. One of the measures of a good doctor is the time that it takes to get an appointment for a consultation. It can, at times, take up to 1 to 2 weeks to get his appointment. Once you do make it to his clinic, you know you are in safe hands. With his typical surname and accent , I had to ask him if he was from South Kanara and KMC. Of course he is from KMC but not a citizen of South Kanara anymore. His forefathers originally hailing from Mulki, moved out of the region a long while ago and he has now made Bangalore his home, visiting his native Dakshin Kanada occasionally to look up relatives.
The consultation is never complete without a chat about Manipal and he makes it a point to show me some recent Manipal pictures on his computer. The last time I was there, the talk naturally moved to Satya Nadela and Rajesh Suri. He also let me know that the renowned heart surgeon, Dr Devi Prasad Shetty is a KMC alumnus. My son’s pediatrician was also from KMC. Those with younger children tell us that it is impossible to get an appointment with her these days.
Way back in 1979 when I joined the institute, it was with some kind of a shame and apology that you whispered the word “Manipal”, when asked about your college. You were often acknowledged with that “ Oh! Capitation Fee degree” looks and how you an undeserving candidate is going to parade himself as an engineer. Another typical response: “That’s somewhere near Assam right?” And after you explained that it is close to Mangalore, there was then some amount of familiarity and a response; “Oh, Bangalore”.
The challenges when entering the corporate world were greater. We would often look for scraps of good news that A made it Ashok Leyland and B was accepted at some US university. When it was my turn to interview with a leading Air Conditioning Company (the “Personnel Manager” was my father’s friend and that is how I made it to the entrance test and interview), the Divisional Vice President declared up front that they did not take engineer trainees from institutions with “dubious” reputations. At the end of the written test and an interview that grilled me on my Thermodynamics and Air Conditioning fundas (for a VP, he knew his engineering), he acknowledged that his opinion about Manipal was misplaced. I was surrounded by the IIT, REC variety and barring those initial (self perceived) feelings of apprehension, it became abundantly clear that from an employer’s standpoint, it was all about job performance and the name and reputation of your institute a mere noting in the HR archives.
I haven’t been to Manipal since having graduated. I am told that the place has changed drastically and while that is the natural progression, the memory of vast open spaces, and the greenery are still fresh in my mind. I must plan a short break and visit Manipal.
The-White-Belt 