The soul of college/university life is the fraternities on the campus–the clubs that become a surrogate family for a student, helping him/her grow and explore latent talents in fields other than academics.

Manipal Academy of Higher Education has a strong tradition of student bodies and clubs that attract students from all disciplines, cutting across colleges, courses and nationalities. It is one of the features that imbue Manipal with a singular charm, a unique advantage over other university campuses.

There are technical clubs for the academically inclined; there are cultural clubs that give a student the opportunity to dabble in the fine arts, music, dance, theatre–everything that feeds the mind and spirit.

Indeed, a student has much to look forward to on the Manipal campus besides classroom learning and laboratory practical sessions, or even regular dives into library shelves.

Teaching faculty and other staff are equally enthusiastic about these clubs and it is marvellous how teacher and student interchange roles during a technical club workshop; but perhaps nothing quite takes one’s breath away like the sight of a retired teacher doing the Yakshagana, a traditional form of folk theatre performed in rural Karnataka, in modern bustling town, Manipal. It is one of the many reasons we get students from 57 countries and counting.

CLUBS & ACTIVITIES

UTSAV – The Annual Inter College Cultural Festival is the flagship cultural event held in the University. Students from all the constituent colleges of the University and also students from our campuses at Bangalore, Sikkim, Nepal, Malaysia and Dubai are invited to participate in this gala event. This is a week-long program wherein students showcase their talents by participating in various competitions like Creative Writing, Classical Instrumental, Vocal and Dance, Pot Pourri, Cultural Parade, Light Music, Cartooning, Quiz, Painting, Collage, Debate, Extempore, Mime, Street Play, Rangoli, Mimicry, Western Dance/Music, Clay Modeling, Installation, Anthakshari, Fashion Show, Poetry, JAM, MAD ADS and Creative Dance.

MEGA EVENT – Houses popular shows and performances by celebrities

SPIC MACAY – Indian Classical and folk music and dance performances/lecture demonstrations by artists of international repute are held. There is an active chapter of SPIC MACAY (Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Among Youth), which is functioning under the Manipal Centre for Philosophy & Humanities and is part of a national network of chapters. SPIC MACAY introduces traditional Indian culture to the youth of this country with the hope that the wealth of knowledge, wisdom and beauty that it encompasses will become an integral part of their lives. Classical Indian music and dance, carrying with them generations of wisdom, are the chief mediums for creating a cultural awareness in students. The greatest living exponents of these art forms travel to schools and colleges throughout the country demonstrating and teaching Indian culture. This provides an opportunity for the students to interact with the artists and benefit from their experiences. SPIC MACAY has no racial, regional, political or religious affiliation. All are welcome to its fold.

GUNJAN - is a forum exclusively dedicated to Indian music floated with the aim of bringing together music enthusiasts on a common platform to enjoy and appreciate music regularly.

The forum promotes the following genres of Indian Music:

• Hindustani Classical Music
• Carnatic Classical Music
• Semi-classical Music
• Ghazal, Sufi, Quawaali
• Devotional Music 
• Light Music.

Under this forum, only local artists are invited to perform. This is also a platform for talented staff and students of the University to exhibit their talents. Since the idea is to bring musicians and music lovers closer, the performances take the form of chamber concerts and not stage.

MANIPAL FILM STUDY CENTRE - Aims at making available world cinema which is non-mainstream and engages members of the University family in serious study of film language, film theory and film criticism by organising film shows, film festivals, film appreciation courses etc.

Manipal Academy of Higher Education LITERARY CLUB - This Club is a wing of Manipal Centre for Philosophy & Humanities and was officially inaugurated on 5th February, 2008 by Dr MS Valiathan, at counselling hall, Manipal.edu building. This club is a brain child of Dr MV Kamath, Hon. Director of SOC and former chairman of Prasar Bharati.

Activities of the Literary Club include book or poem reading sessions by the authors and/or readers, discussions about various literature related activities, workshops/seminars on literature writing, et al. Students and teaching staff from various colleges under Manipal Academy of Higher Education represent their college and are enrolled as club members. Members contribute with their creative work in literature and discuss events for the future during meetings held by the club. Any literature loving person at Manipal Academy of Higher Education can become a member of this club.