Manipal

Manipal is a town near Udupi, located 5.6 kilometres from the centre of the city in Udupi district of the state of Karnataka in India and is administered by the Udupi City Municipality. It is located in coastal Karnataka, 62.8 kms. north of Mangalore and 8 km (5.0 mi) east of the Arabian Sea. From its location on a plateau, it commands a panoramic view of the Arabian Sea to the west and the Western Ghats to the east. Manipal got its name from Manipal Lake.

Manipal
Suburb
Manipal
Manipal
Coordinates: 13.347°N 74.788°E / 13.347; 74.788
Country India
StateKarnataka
DistrictUdupi
RegionTulu Nadu
Area
 • Total26 km2 (10 sq mi)
Elevation
73 m (240 ft)
Population
 (2001)
 • Total50,000
 • Density1,900/km2 (5,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Manipalite
Languages
 • OfficialKannada
 • RegionalTulu, Konkani, Beary
 • OtherEnglish
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
576 104
Telephone code0820
ISO 3166 codeIN-KA
Vehicle registrationKA-20
Websitewww.udupicity.mrc.gov.in

Home to the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, the town attracts more than twenty five thousand students every year and hence most of the population is students or university staff.[1] It is one of the most cosmopolitan towns of India, reflected in its numerous cafes attracting students and faculty from around 60 countries. There are numerous spots throughout the town that attract students from nearby Mangalore and Udupi such as End Point, Manipal Lake and Malpe Beach. The city owes its rapid development to Manipal Academy of Higher Education for converting this into a student city.[2] It is called "Campus Town" by the locals.[3]

Manipal is also the international headquarters of Syndicate Bank.[4] A regional information technology hub, Manipal has one of the highest densities of mobile phones in India.[5]

Location

Situated 5 km (3.1 mi) east of the center of the temple city of Udupi and 65 km (40 mi) north of Mangalore, Manipal was previously part of the Shivalli village panchayat. Now it is part of Udupi city. The name is derived from "munn" and "palla", anglicised to Manipal . Munn means "mud" and palla means "lake" in Tulu language. This lake, roughly in the shape of a 400 mtrs. diameter circle, after which Manipal is named, is located in the middle of the town and about 6 kms. away from the Arabian Sea, and has boating facility. The Swarna river passes just north of Manipal. Recreational facilities are available through End Point Park.

Manipal was once a barren hill with few trees. This hill was transformed into the university town it now is by Dr. T. M. A. Pai, who first started the Kasturba Medical College in 1953, now a part of the university, the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). Tourist spots like Agumbe, Kudremukh, Kapu, Delta and Malpe are also located nearby.[6]

Sunset, as seen from the outskirts of Manipal

Climate

From September to February, the weather in Manipal is tropical with daily temperatures averaging 27 °C (81 °F). From June to mid October, Manipal witnesses one of the most extreme monsoons in the world, with the annual precipitation ranging from 500–560 cm (200–220 in). The months of December to May are hot and humid, with the daily temperatures typically peaking at 35 °C (95 °F).[7] Being away from large urban centers and the highly tropical climate of the town attracts a large number of birds, with 155 different species of birds being recorded in February 2015, including rarities such as the Tickell's Thrush, Blue-eared Kingfisher and Slaty-breasted Rail.[8]

Transport

Road

Manipal is connected to Mangalore (takes about 75 minutes via road) and towns such as Udupi, Karkala and Kundapur by several private bus services and KSRTC City Buses which run every thirty minutes. The town also has overnight bus services to Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa and Mumbai.[9]

There are also buses which connect to the famous nearby tourist attractions like Malpe beach, Delta Beach, Dharmasthala.

Rail

The nearest railway station is located about four kilometers west of Manipal in Udupi station (UD) on the Konkan railway line. It has trains connecting Mumbai, Goa, Kerala, New Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Punjab.[10] It is about a kilometer away from the National Highway 169A. Mangalore Central (MAQ) is the nearest major railway station and is located in Mangalore, 67 km south of the town.

Air

The nearest international airport is Mangalore International Airport, which is located around 62 km (39 mi) south from Manipal, connecting it to Indian cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi, and internationally to the middle eastern countries like Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. Pre-paid taxis are available to transport passengers to and from Manipal and Udupi.

Buses also connect Manipal directly to the Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore, to cater to the large number of international students studying at the university. KSRTC recently started "Flybus", a premium daily bus service from Manipal to Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore.

Education
MIT Manipal Campus
MIT Academic Block 1 - Quadrangle

Manipal gained prominence when Dr. T.M.A. Pai founded the Kasturba Medical College in 1953, the Manipal Institute of Technology in 1957, a popular institute for engineering and 21 other colleges later, all of which became a part of Manipal Academy of Higher Education in 1993.[11] Manipal Academy of Higher Education has been granted the status of Institute of Eminence in the year 2018.[12] It has also been ranked among the top ten private engineering colleges within India.[13] It is ranked 2nd within the state of Karnataka.[14] Pai also founded the Manipal Pre-University College.

The Venugopal Temple, Manipal, India

Manipal is a major technology and medical research hub, with major conferences and seminars organized almost every week. Since the establishment of Manipal University Technology and Business Incubator (MUTBI), the in-house business incubator of the university, a large number of student-run technology and media startups have sprung up.[15]

See also

References
  1. Tejaswi, Mini Joseph (29 January 2009). "Mangalore a melting pot". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  2. "Manipal: How a barren hillock in Mangalore has transformed into a university town". The Economic Times. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  3. "History | Manipal Academy of Higher Education (formerly, Manipal University)". manipal.edu. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  4. "Syndicate Bank – our Profile". Syndicate Bank's official website. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018.
  5. "A cool crowd". The Hindu. 23 February 2006. Retrieved 11 June 2007.
  6. "Manipal Karnataka". Maps of India. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  7. "Manipal Climate – Averages". Archived from the original on 29 January 2013.
  8. "Birders record 155 species in Manipal – The Hindu". The Hindu. The Hindu.
  9. "Manipal to Hyderabad Bus Tickets Booking, Save upto 25%". redBus. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  10. Kumar, Vikas. "Trains to Udupi Station - 71 Arrivals KR/Konkan Zone - Railway Enquiry". indiarailinfo.com. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  11. "Mix it like Manipal". indianexpress.com. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  12. "Six universities granted 'Institute of Eminence' status". The Hindu BusinessLine. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  13. "What are the top 10 private engineering colleges in India? - Quora". www.quora.com. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  14. "Manipal Academy tops Karnataka's university rating". Deccan Herald. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  15. "Manipal varsity all set to run on solar power". Deccan Herald. 9 March 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
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