Manipal is a locality of Udupi, located 5 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 the part of Coastal Karnataka, 62.8 kms. north of Mangalore and 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. 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 workers. 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, DeeTee, Manipal Lake and Malpe Beach. The city owes its rapid development to Manipal Academy of Higher Education for converting this into a student city. It is called "Campus Town" by the locals. Manipal is also the international headquarters of Syndicate Bank. A regional information technology hub, Manipal has one of the highest densities of mobile phone users in India.
Location
Situated east of the centre of the temple city of Udupi and 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 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, Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Tourist spots like Agumbe, Kudremukh, Kapu, Delta and Malpe are also located nearby.
Climate
From September to February, the weather in Manipal is tropical with daily temperatures averaging. From June to mid October, Manipal witnesses one of the most extreme monsoons in the world, with the annual precipitation ranging from. The months of December to May are hot and humid, with the daily temperatures typically peaking at. Being away from large urban centres 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.
Transport
Road
Manipal is connected to Mangalore 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 cities including Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa and Mumbai.
Rail
The nearest railway station is located about four kilometers west of Manipal in Udupi station on the Konkan railway line. It has trains connecting towards Mumbai, Goa, Kerala, New Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Punjab. It is about a kilometer away from the National Highway 169A. Mangalore Central 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 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
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. Manipal Academy of Higher Education has been granted the status of Institute of Eminence in the year 2018. It has also been ranked among the top ten private engineering colleges within India. It is ranked 2nd within the state of Karnataka. Pai also founded the Manipal Pre-University College. Manipal is a major technology and medical research hub, with major conferences and seminars organised almost every week. Since the establishment of Manipal University Technology and Business Incubator, the in-house business incubator of the university, a large number of student-run technology and media startups have sprung up.
