MANAGEMENT

Dr B H Sripathi Rao, a well acclaimed Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, has been associated with Yenepoya for over 25 years as the Principal /Dean of the Dental College and the Head of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. His commitment, sincerity and industrious nature as a teacher, as a surgeon and as an administrator have earned him the position of Pro Vice Chancellor, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University).

Hailing from Bappanadu, Mulki and being the youngest in a family of doctors, he got his coveted BDS and MDS in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from the prestigious Manipal college of Dental Sciences in the year 1976 and 1980 respectively. He was invited by his alma mater to join the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as faculty, where he rose to the level of Professor and Head of the Department and served in that capacity for five long years. He was loved and revered by staff and students alike not only for his clinical and academic proficiency but also for his kind and understanding nature. As a reflection of this, he was honoured with the ‘Good Teacher Award’ consecutively.

From 1991 to 1994 he worked as a senior teaching faculty at Faculty of dentistry, Arab Medical University, Libya. In September 1994 he was appointed as Professor and Head, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Yenepoya Dental College, Kodialbail, Mangalore and took over as Principal/ Dean from February 2nd 1995, a position he served at till his retirement on 30th September 2019.

As Principal/ Dean and member of Board of Management, he was responsible for the overall progress and smooth functioning of the dental college with regular up gradation of the Course Curriculum. Leading a team of dedicated faculty members, he worked tirelessly for the growth and development of the dental college and saw numerous DCI and UGC inspections during his tenure. Being the backbone of the dental college he can largely be credited for its rise to being one of the premier dental colleges in the country. His paternal care and guidance saw the institution grow from an infant into a well groomed adult, achieving important milestones along the way. He witnessed the completion of 25 years of establishment of Yenepoya Dental College and enthusiastically took part in the silver jubilee celebrations. He was instrumental in establishing numerous collaborations in Yenepoya, both international and national with institutions of repute ,the likes of Brisbane dental college Australia, Dental school North Caroline, Reversing ‘ C Malaysia, JSS Dental college Mysore, Pacific Dental College, Udaipur.

Through it all Dr B.H. Sripathi Rao remains a teacher at heart. His passion for teaching is unparalleled and he has a rich experience teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate students. He has been an examiner and Board of Studies member to several Universities in India and abroad and is also a PhD guide. He has authored several chapters in popular Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery textbooks and published numerous papers in renowned national and international journals. He has also been invited as a speaker at national and international conferences owing to his exceptional oratory skills. He was conferred with fellowship degree from the Indian Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery for his contribution towards the growth of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as a speciality in India.

During his career he held prominent positions in various national bodies. He was the Executive Committee Member of Dental Council of India from Aug. 2003 – Aug.2008, during which he was responsible for upgrading and changing both B.D.S. and M.D.S. Course Regulations. He has also served as D.C.I. Co-ordinator to National Assessment & Accreditation Council. He was elected as an Executive Committee Member of Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons of India in November 2005 and as the President of AOMSI Karnataka Chapter for the year 2018. During his tenure as President, he organized state wide oral cancer awareness programs in different districts of Karnataka.

Recognizing his immense contribution to the profession, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, elected him as a Fellow of the Faculty of Dental Sciences in 2019.

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Dr. K. S. Gangadhara Somayaji is a distinguished Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) surgeon with nearly three decades of clinical experience, specializing in Microscopic Ear Surgery and Endoscopic Sinus Surgery. He has been associated with Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, since 2007, serving the institution in multiple academic and administrative leadership roles.

A dedicated clinician and academician, Dr. Somayaji has consistently promoted skill- based and competency-based medical education. During his tenure as Head of the Department of ENT, he significantly strengthened surgical training through live operative demonstrations, cadaver-based hands-on workshops, and structured clinical skill enhancement programs for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Dr. Somayaji assumed charge as the Registrar of Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) on 29.09.2018, a role in which he played a central part in academic administration, statutory governance, regulatory compliance, and institutional expansion. As Registrar, he was responsible for overseeing statutory bodies, the Academic Council, the Executive Council, the Finance Committee, Examination systems, admission processes, and coordination with national regulatory authorities.

During his tenure, he contributed substantially to the strategic growth and diversification of the University, including the establishment of constituent units in Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, and Naturopathy and Yogic Science, School of Allied Health Sciences, and School of Engineering and Technology, and the expansion of programs under the twelve Faculties of Study. The Bangalore off-campus centre of Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) was established during his tenure as Registrar, marking an important milestone in the University’s expansion.

As Registrar, Dr. Somayaji was actively involved in quality assurance initiatives and coordination for the NAAC Peer Team visit in 2021, contributing to the strengthening of internal quality assurance mechanisms, policy formulation, and outcome-based academic processes. He worked closely with faculty and administrators to ensure timely compliance with UGC, statutory councils, and accreditation requirements.

He also supported the use of digital platforms and e-governance systems in university administration, facilitating improvements in academic records management, examination processes, communication systems, and administrative efficiency.

In recognition of his sustained academic leadership, governance experience, and institutional service, Dr. K. S. Gangadhara Somayaji has taken over as the Vice-Chancellor of Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) on 15.01.2026.

As Vice-Chancellor, he provides strategic and academic leadership focused on institutional excellence, innovation in teaching-learning, research advancement, quality assurance, and societal engagement, in alignment with national education policies and global best practices.

Younger son of Late Yenepoya Moideen Kunhi, he is a highly acclaimed visionary, a dynamic entrepreneur and an industrialist in south India. Mr. Abdullah Kunhi was among the first to make a foray into the field of Education with the setting up of medical, dental, nursing and physiotherapy colleges of a high standard.

"Men are Four " says the famous Arabic Apothegm
He who knows not and knows not he knows not, he is a fool - shun him;
He who knows not and knows he knows not, he is simple - teach him;
He who knows and knows not he knows , he is asleep - wake him;
He who knows and knows he knows , he is wise - follow him;

The torch that burns bright today as Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) was lit by the late Yenepoya Moideen Kunhi , who was a visionary who dreamt of contributing to the society by spreading the light of education.

It was the unflinching dedication of a great visionary, the late Al Haj Yenepoya Moideen Kunhi , that has in the span of over half of a century, grown into a robust conglomerate – the Yenepoya Group. What took root with humble beginnings in the timber trade, has gradually diversified into commerce and industry, hospitality and health care. Recent years have also seen the realization of his vision of spreading the light of education. The Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) campus at Deralakatte, stands testimony to this.

Yenepoya Moideen Kunhi continues to be our inspiration and guiding force and they carried it forward