Who are the notable alumni of Manipal University?

With over 28,000 students from 57 different countries,  Manipal Academy of Higher Education is known for its excellence in academics and other co-curricular activities. The students of Manipal University have always dedicated themselves to achieving the best by following their passion. 

Talking about its alumni, the institute is the alma mater to some of the most eminent people in the country. Here are some of the famous personalities who were once a student at Manipal University:

1. Satya Narayan Nadella: The famous Indian-American executive, became the CEO of Microsoft in 2014, succeeding Steve Ballmer. Nadella was a part of Manipal University's batch of 1988. He completed his Bachelors of Electrical Engineering from Manipal University. 

Before working with Microsoft, Nadella worked at Sun Microsystem as a technical staff before joining Microsoft in 1992. He is an alumnus who today is a prominent global personality. He has inspired others to follow their passion wholeheartedly. Nadella has over the years received eminent awards and recognitions from Times and Fortune. He was also recognised as the Global Indian business Icon by CNBC TV18 in 2020.

2. Rajeev Suri: Another renowned alumnus of Manipal University is Rajeev Suri. Since 1995, Suri has worked at different positions for Nokia until he became the CEO of the company. 

Suri is popularly known as the turnaround specialist in the tech business worldwide and has been part of various acquisitions of telecom industries, including Panasonic, Motorola, Siemens, etc. Suri studied BE (Electronics and Communication) from Manipal Institute of Technology and was part of the 1986 batch. 

3. Vikas Khanna: The Michelin Star chef, Vikas Khanna, has been a face of various cookery shows, including the celebrated Master Chef India and other food networking channels. He graduated in 1994 from Manipal University, getting a degree in Hotel Management. He is an award-winning Indian chef, food writer, restaurateur, and humanitarian. He is also a familiar face in various American food reality shows. 

4. Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor:  Dr Sheikh is known for his enormous contribution in the field of Science and Technology. Dr Sheikh was also part of the Soyuz TMA-11 launch in 2007 along with the crew ‘Expedition 15’. Dr Sheikh is an acclaimed Malaysian astronaut and an Orthopaedic surgeon who graduated from Manipal University in 1997.  

He went to space through the Angkasawan programme under the Russian agreement in October 2007, and returned to Earth in the same month. Dr Sheikh also performed several experiments on the International Space Station. He even researched the leukaemia cells and liver cancers and the crystallisation of microbes and proteins in space. 

5. Dr Annapoorna Kini: An Indian-American cardiologist, Dr Kini, was also an alumnus of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Dr Kini received her MBBS degree from the Kasturba Medical College in the year 1991. With her immense contribution to Medical Science, Dr Kini received several awards and recognition for her notable works. She was awarded the Dean’s Award For Excellence by Mount Sinai Health System for her contribution to clinical medicine in 2011. 

She is also the recipient of the Heart of Gold Award from the American Heart Association. Apart from being a cardiologist, Dr Kini has made several literary contributions as she co-authored several scientific publications and cardiology textbooks.

Manipal University has many notable alumni. Several other famous personalities have passed out and walked through the corridors of this prestigious institute. Some of its other notable alumni include Sameer Hashmi, Mausami Singh, Dr V Surendra Shetty, Mr Nitin Bhaskar, Dr Ashok Jain, Dr Pratap Singh, and many more. 

Undoubtedly, Manipal University is one of the best educational institutes in the entire nation. Here, the approach towards academics and co-curricular activities keeps the students engaged. The students are also allowed to follow their passion and hone their skills in their respective fields of interest with utmost dedication. It is indeed a place where learning collides with fun.