Born and raised in Calcutta, now Kolkata, India, Manish “Manny” Panjwani attended Catholic and Jesuit schools, beginning an academic journey guided by his father, mentor and lifelong educator, Professor Santosh Panjwani.
“He saw education as the great equalizer,” Manny says, “and dedicated his entire life to educating himself. He believed that education is like a golden guinea that you can cash anywhere in the world.”
To honor his late father, Manny and his wife, Manju, have established the Manish and Manju Panjwani Endowment at the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Education to support juniors and seniors with demonstrated financial need who are preparing to become teachers.
The college also dedicated the Huddle Room, a designated student space, on Sept. 10, which would have been Santosh’s 94th birthday, according to a university release.
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“From this day forward, students will come into this room to learn, connect and work together,” said Victor Sáenz, associate dean for Student Success, Community Engagement, and Administration. “In doing so, they’ll carry forward the spirit of Professor Panjwani’s life and his belief in the power of education. These spaces have stories behind them—stories of people and families who believe in education and in what it can make possible.”
The Panjwanis’ daughter, Aarushi, is an alumna of the Canfield Business Honors Program at the McCombs School of Business, and their son, Aarav, is a freshman studying advertising in the Moody College of Communication. “The University has given us so much,” Manny says. “To be able to give back was a natural choice.”
Although no one in the extended Panjwani family attended the College of Education, Manny and Manju’s gift reflects their deep belief in the power of education. Their decision to support the college underscores the far-reaching influence of educators and the students they inspire. “These are future educators who go on to educate future generations,” Manny says.
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For Manny, his father’s steadfast belief in education defined how Santosh lived his life. “He was always progressive and a big proponent of education and helping others grow,” Manny says. “My father shared his knowledge with everyone he met and never expected anything in return.”
After earning his bachelor’s degree in economics, statistics and math from St. Xavier’s College in Calcutta, Manny immigrated to the U.S. at age 20. He earned a second bachelor’s degree in computer science from Georgia College in Milledgeville and an MBA from Georgia State University in Atlanta.
Decades later, at age 53, he earned his doctorate in education in organizational change and leadership from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles—continuing the commitment to lifelong learning instilled by his father.
Manny and Manju are now extending Santosh’s legacy through their gift to the College of Education, supporting future teachers who will carry his belief in the power of education forward.