Superstar

Konkaniworld Super Star – 9 (January 15-31, 2007) - DR. PADMINI PAI

Message: “We are well known for our strong family ties and excellent social supports. We make a difference anywhere – everywhere. Let us think locally and act globally. Our service mindedness is the tiny Konkani drop that makes the ocean! The concept of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam (the whole world is one family) is realized today more than centuries ago when it was pronounced! Let us as Konknis put our ‘pride’ into ‘practice’ to make a difference.”

- Dr Padmini Pai

Konkaniworld.com is proud to present Dr Padmini Pai – a dynamic energetic and most sort after professional Social Worker in Mangalore. She was the Dean of Shree Devi Educational Trust and headed the Social Work Department of the same institution. Her passion is “people” and her skill is public speaking, training and development and teaching. Widely travelled Dr Padmini Pai is lively and energetic.

She was born in Mangalore on the 16th of August 1967 to Mrs. Shanthi Pai, who is from the famous Bastikar family of Mangalore and Mr Gopalakrishna Pai whose original roots are from Gurpura but had migrated to Madras as her grandfather Major G.V. Pai worked for the Madras Port-trust during the British times. She was brought up in Chennai and came back to Mangalore after her marriage to Dr Nagesh Pai who hails from Brahmavar.

Dr Pai is the Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatry in the Justice K.S. Hegde Hospital (KSHEMA). He is currently on an assignment to Australia. They are blessed with two lovely children Meghana and Nishchinth.

Completing her early education in Chennai and Bachelors degree from the prestigious Stella Maris College Madras, Dr Padmini Pai went on to do her Masters in Social Work from the same institution. She was an active NSS volunteer and attributes her social service mindedness to her volunteerism during her college days. She has also won several prizes at national level seminars for quiz/debate etc. and brought laurels to her college. She then moved on to do her M. Phil. in Psychiatric Social work from the well known National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) Bangalore. She secured the II rank from the Bangalore University for the same.

Dr Padmini Pai worked as a school counsellor with the Apostolic Carmel group of schools. (St. Agnes, St. Ann’s, Lady Hill School and Carmel School) She fondly remembers Sr. Agatha Mary the then Provincial of St. Ann’s Convent who encouraged her in the initial part of her career. She briefly worked as a lecturer at the School of Social Work Roshni Nilaya teaching the undergraduate students of social work. When the demand for Social Work increased and the Mangalore University decided to open up more colleges for the same, Shree Devi Institute of Social Work gave the opportunity of being the founder Principal to Dr Padmini Pai. She fondly remembers Shree Devi College as her Third Baby! Under her able leadership the college soon grew up to be one among the most sort after institutions in Mangalore. Emphasis was laid on practical work as much as to class room teaching conducting street plays, awareness programmes, campaigns against the spread of Malaria and Aids were some of the important activities sphere headed by Dr Pai. The college was also recognized by the then D.C. of Mangalore Mr A.K. Monappa for the commendable work put in by the staff and students in the Aids awareness campaigns in and around Mangalore. The institution was soon approached by the corporate sector and Dr Padmini Pai had conducted several family climate surveys for industries to see the need of family members of the employees for Hindustan Lever Limited (H.L.L.) etc.

She is also a well-known Trainer and has trained over 2,000 students and 500 teachers in the WHO Life Skills Development Programme. Samanvaya a popular NGO in Mangalore needs special mentions during such workshops.

Several schools who have taken her services are: Little Rock Indian School of Brahmavar, St. Mary’s School of Udupi, St. Cecily’s School of Udupi, Chinmaya Vidyalaya of Kasargod, Besent English Medium School of Mangalore, St. Theresa’s of Mangalore, Joyland School of Bolar-Mangalore to name a few. She is also invited to conduct workshops and present papers at Seminars at the college level. Talks on Personality Development and Team Building to Colleges such as Canara, Gokarnanatheshwara, St. Agnes, Cross land, Manipal Institute of Communication (MAHE) to name but a few.

Apart from her academic achievements, she is also a well sort after trainer. Topics for her corporate training include counselling skills for Managers, Team building, Importance of effective communication, Performance Appraisal, Graphic Mind Mapping, Enneagram, Neuro Linguistic Programming etc.

She was the Vice Chair Person (2001) and currently an Execution Committee member of the NIPM (National Institute of Personal Management) Mangalore Chapter. Companies who have availed her services are MRPL, MCF, BASF, HLL, Robosoft (Udupi), Ooto Bilz (Bangalore) and several Banks such as Corporation Bank, Karnataka Bank, State Bank and NABARD.

She was also an active member of Dharma Samanvaya a movement for Inter-religious Harmony in Mangalore and has given several presentations on:

Importance of symbols and rituals in Hinduism
What I appreciate in another religion
True religion is service to Humanity
Mother Theresa – her life and Social Work mission.

She was selected by the Rotary Club as a member of the Group Study Exchange Team (GSE) to represent Rotary District 3180 to visit Pennsylvania (USA) in the year 2001

Her recent memorable event was when she represented India along with Professor Mathew C. Ninan (Principal, Little Rock Indian School) when their paper was selected to be present at the Round Table presentation at Florida in USA at the ICSEI (International Conference on School Effectiveness and Improvement). Dr Michael Chirichello, Chair. Department of Educational Leadership William Paterson University Wayne, New Jersey. Her most memorable event was when she travelled with her close friend Dr Lim Feei Feei from Malaysia to meet the famous painter M.F. Hussain in Calcutta.

A turning point:

Dr Padmini Pai had survived a traumatic road traffic accident with her whole family in 2002. The entire Mangalore community was supportive to bring the smile back to her charming face! Of late, Dr Padmini Pai with her family is shifted to Australia.

Konkaniworld.com wishes Dr. Padmini Pai all the very best in her future endeavors in Australia!

Submitted By: Rev. Dr Ronald Cutinha, Samanvaya