Geetha Tonse Pai of the Manipal Pai family passes away

Team Udayavani, Jul 15, 2024, 7:31 PM IST

Manipal: Geetha Tonse Pai, a prominent member of the distinguished Manipal Pai family, passed away on July 11 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, at the age of 78. She was the wife of Dr. Vittal Tonse Pai, who is the son of P. A. Pai and the nephew of Manipal Group founders Upendra Pai and Dr. T.M.A. Pai.

Born in Bantwal in 1945, Geetha Pai was the only daughter of the late Padmanabh Pai and Sunanda Pai of the Karkala Pai family. She married Dr. Vittal Tonse Pai, whom she loved very much, and they had a happy married life full of love and affection. They have two children and two grandchildren.

Geetha was an entrepreneur with an independent and adventurous spirit and a kind and loving soul. She founded and ran multiple businesses, including her sustainable corporate and retail jute gift bags company, Baskets-n-Bags; a line of organic Indian food sauces business, Geetha’s Gourmet; and her award-winning restaurants, Tandoor Cuisine of India, in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Denver, Colorado.

In addition to her entrepreneurial achievements, Geetha Pai was deeply committed to social causes. She was one of the founding members of the New Mexico Commission for the Blind and an active member of the New Mexico Federation of the Blind, Southwest Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). She served on multiple boards and volunteered for organizations that helped support women and children. She also served in the Peace Corps, training volunteers to go abroad to South Asia. She advocated for women’s education, empowerment, and employment and helped thousands through her services in the US, Mexico, and India. Her determination and strong will inspired many women to follow their dreams.

She is survived by her husband, Vittal Pai, MD; sons Deepak Pai, JD, and Sunil Pai, MD; daughter-in-law, Rekha D. Pai; and grandchildren Prianca Pai and Meghana Pai (Deepak’s children).

The Manipal Pai family and the broader community deeply mourn her loss.

Om Shanti.