Vishwanath D. Karad

Prof. Dr. Vishwanath D. Karad, a renowned and visionary educator, is founder and chief patron of the MIT group of institutions in Pune, India, as well as UNESCO chair holder for human rights, democracy, and peace.

After receiving BE and ME degrees in mechanical engineering at the University of Poona (now Pune), he received a PhD degree in engineering and education from Washington International University in the British Virgin Islands. He taught courses as a professor of mechanical engineering for twenty years and has founded various educational institutes in Maharashtra, the third-largest state in India.

His initial endeavor was the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT), which soon expanded into multiple institutes and universities in Maharashtra. The World Peace Centre was established as part of MIT in 1996 to emphasize “the importance of value-based universal education in promoting a culture of peace in the global society.”

Vishwanath Karad visited Utah in 2015 to speak in the Parliament of the World’s Religions. During his visit, Dr. Karad was hosted at the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and at BYU. He was deeply impressed with the BYU Honor Code, the Speakeremphasis on value-based education, and the coupling of scientific and spiritual education.

His growing familiarity with the Church and BYU has led Dr. Karad to seek greater collaboration with BYU. In August 2017, he recognized the work of the Church by conferring the Philosopher Saint Shri Dnyaneshwara World Peace Prize on Elder D. Todd Christofferson as Church representative. In 2022, Dr. Karad hosted Elder Christofferson and a Church delegation for the unveiling of a statue of the Prophet Joseph Smith at the World Peace Dome.

A devout Hindu, Dr. Karad appreciates and respects the scriptures of all faiths, teaches the importance of religion in society generally, and fully believes in and promotes interfaith harmony.