Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh (VSM)

Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh has been serving as the Vice Chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) since July 1, 2020. With over four decades of distinguished service in medical education, healthcare administration, and institutional governance, he brings strategic depth and academic precision to university leadership.

Through directed initiatives in academic growth, faculty development, and international collaboration, he continues to strengthen MAHE’s global academic reputation.

A distinguished graduate of Mysore Medical College (1978), he was commissioned into the Army Medical Corps in 1979. Specializing in ENT (MS, Mumbai University, 1986) with advanced training in cochlear implantation and neurotology, he laid the foundation for excellence in medical education and research.

Over 38 years in the Armed Forces Medical Services, he shaped medical training, planning, and research at the highest levels.

Guided by the belief that education and healthcare are pillars of national development, Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Venkatesh remains committed to academic integrity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and research-led progress.

His leadership reflects discipline, strategic foresight, and a deep sense of institutional responsibility. By raising innovation across Health Sciences, Engineering, Humanities, and allied domains, he continues to cultivate an ecosystem where knowledge creation and societal impact go hand in hand.

This approach strengthens MAHE’s position as an Institution of Eminence (IoE) with global relevance.

For Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Venkatesh, MAHE, represents both mission and responsibility. His career spans clinical excellence, academic mentorship, and national-level advisory roles with bodies including MCI, NBE, ICMR, NAAC, and DRDO.

He continues to guide indigenous medical innovation initiatives, including cochlear implant clinical trials, reflecting leadership that bridges academia, healthcare, and national service.