Suparjya swain 
Bhubaneswar: From the humble soil of a remote Odisha village to the commanding heights of India’s academic and healthcare landscape, Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak has scripted a story that reads like a modern epic. In a country where access to quality education often feels like a privilege, he made it a mission. A passionate teacher turned visionary edupreneur, his journey is a rare blend of grit, intellect, compassion, and unrelenting drive. The founder of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) Deemed to be University, now one of India’s top-ranked institutions, Dr. Nayak has spent his life reimagining what education, healthcare, and service can look like when driven by purpose.
It was this legacy that IIT Kharagpur chose to honor when it conferred upon him the Distinguished Alumnus Award for 2022 during the institute’s 68th convocation ceremony. The recognition was both personal and symbolic: a proud alma mater saluting one of its most impactful graduates for his remarkable contributions to education, research, healthcare, industry, and community upliftment.
Born in an obscure village in coastal Odisha, young Manojranjan grew up amid modest means, but he was always rich in ambition and curiosity. He excelled in academics, paving his way into the prestigious Regional Engineering College in Rourkela—now NIT Rourkela—where he earned his B.Tech in Electrical Engineering. That journey of excellence led him to IIT Kharagpur, where he pursued M.Tech in Computer Science, and eventually to a Ph.D. from the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT).
His professional career began in academia, as a faculty member at the College of Engineering and Technology under OUAT. A brilliant teacher known for his clarity and passion, he quickly earned the respect of colleagues and students alike. But the classroom, inspiring as it was, couldn’t contain the size of his dream. Dr. Nayak wasn’t content with personal success; he wanted to create pathways for thousands like him—to build something larger than himself that could serve as a beacon of opportunity in Odisha.
In 1995, he took the leap. Leaving behind the security of his academic position, Dr. Nayak founded Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) in Bhubaneswar, with a mission to provide world-class education rooted in access, inclusivity, and innovation. The very next year, in 1996, he launched the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), SOA’s first institution, with just 118 students and a dream much larger than its first classrooms.
What followed was a remarkable expansion that reshaped the educational landscape of the state. Under his leadership, SOA grew into a constellation of institutions offering professional education across a wide spectrum—engineering, management, hospitality, pharmaceutical sciences, nursing, dental sciences, and medical education. In 2007, SOA was granted the status of a Deemed to be University by the University Grants Commission (UGC), marking a major turning point in its journey.
Dr. Nayak’s vision didn’t stop at conventional academics. Recognizing the growing need for legal education, agricultural sciences, and veterinary studies, he established institutions to cater to these fields as well. Today, SOA offers a multidisciplinary, future-forward education to more than 15,000 students, including many from abroad. It has become not just a university, but a hub of intellectual, technological, and societal transformation.
SOA’s rise hasn’t gone unnoticed. Ranked 15th in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2023 and accredited with an A++ Grade by NAAC in 2022, the university stands tall among the country’s finest. But even as rankings rose, Dr. Nayak stayed rooted in the core belief that institutions must serve not just students, but society at large.
This belief manifested most powerfully in the realm of healthcare. In 2007, he launched the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital—SOA’s medical faculty—which has since grown into one of the largest and most trusted teaching hospitals in Eastern India. With 2,200 beds and advanced super-specialty services, the hospital has become synonymous with affordable, quality care. It wasn’t just an academic addition; it was a lifeline for thousands.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Nayak’s leadership became a case study in social responsibility. As fear and uncertainty swept the world, he spearheaded SOA’s collaboration with the Odisha government to set up five stand-alone COVID hospitals and two dedicated care centers. These facilities played a crucial role in the state’s pandemic response, offering care, dignity, and hope in a time of crisis.
Even as he transformed education and healthcare, Dr. Nayak ventured into yet another domain—media. Understanding the importance of information in empowering the public, he founded The Prameya, now the largest circulated vernacular daily in Odisha, and News7, a dynamic Odia-language television news channel. Through these platforms, he gave voice to the voiceless and built a culture of awareness, accountability, and fearless journalism.
Despite his towering achievements, Dr. Nayak remains a deeply grounded figure. For him, awards and titles are milestones—not destinations. His life’s work continues, driven by an unshakable belief in the power of education to elevate lives, build communities, and shape the future. What sets him apart is not just what he has built, but how he built it—with humility, heart, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
Today, as SOA continues to rise, as more students walk its campuses and more lives are healed in its hospitals, the legacy of Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak only grows stronger. His journey—from the dusty paths of a coastal village to the corridors of a nationally ranked university—is more than inspiring. It is proof that vision, when rooted in purpose, can change not just institutions, but entire generations.
He is not just the founder of a university. He is the architect of a movement—one that will echo for years to come.
