Capt Ganesh Karnik was born in Kervashe, a small hamlet in Karkala taluk of Udupi district.  After having basic education in Karkala, he obtained his B Sc degree from Agricultural University, Dharwad. True to his passion and attitude, Karnik joined the Indian army in 1981, and served as a commissioned officer along the North-East and the western border of the country. After serving the nation for eight years, he got a voluntary retirement from the Army in 1988 as a Captain.

Soon after coming out of the armed force, Capt Karnik joined the Lamina Group of Industries, a leading name in field of industry and education. He served Lamina Suspension Products Ltd, a prestigious industrial group of coastal Karnataka as an Assistant General Manager till 1992.

His love for academics and vision for the younger generation, beckoned him to the field of education. He worked as the General Manager of the Nitte group of educational institutions and came out with a lot of experiments putting his thoughts into practice as how to build an institution for the future of the society.

Capt Karnik entered the field of politics as a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council in 2006 representing the South-west Teachers’ Constituency (which includes Shimoga district, Channagiri and Honnalli taluks of Davanagere district, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikmagalur and Kodagu districts of Karnataka). He has ably represented the teachers in the Council taking their woes, demands and opinion to the government-level. He played a predominant role in realizing a number of demands of teachers in the past three years.

Looking at Karnik’s efficiency, approach and foresightedness, the Karnataka Government appointed him the Deputy Chairman of the Karnataka NRI Forum, a prestigious position with a Cabinet rank in 2008. Having the responsibility of building a meaningful and strong bond between the NRIs and the State, Capt Karnik has already toured various countries, meeting Indians there, interacting with them and pooling their vibrant thoughts for the development of Karnataka. He has extensively traveled in the USA, China, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, the UAE and the Sultanate of Oman.

Ganesh Karnik was a member of the Senate, Syndicate and the Finance Committee of Mangalore University. He was a special invitee to the Costal Agenda Task Force constituted by the Government of Karnataka for the comprehensive development of the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. He was the Convener of Sub-Committee for infrastructure and tourism development.

He was the President of the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI), Mangalore- Manipal chapter. He is also a Director of Lakshmi Souhardha Credit Co-Operative Society, Mangalore, State Organizing Secretary of Karnataka State Secondary Teachers Association; a member of the Academic Council of Mangalore University.

Capt Karnik is also the Honorary President of the Sangeet Parishad, Mangalore – an organization for classical music lovers. There are more than 600 members in this 15 year-old organization.

Capt Karnik can be well described as a person of few words but a man of thousand thoughtful ways. Although he is not directly teaching the students, he has a magnetic charm that attracts youngsters to him, and he uses this opportunity to understand their ambitions and guide them in the proper channel. He is of the view that youth should be analyzed from their own point of view instead of boring them with unnecessary suggestions. He is the one who truly believes that today’s youth are the tomorrow’s future.

Social work is another passion of this multi-faceted talent. He even loves adventure, trekking, sightseeing, nature camps and other outdoor activities. His life in the army has made him self-disciplined and strong to adjust with any kind of situations and face problems. He is a good manager by his very temperament. He is a true specimen for the Sanskrit saying ‘Vajradapi kathorani mruduni kusumadapi’ (As strong as a diamond, but as soft as a flower). Capt Karnik is a “People’s Person” who mingles with all kinds of people, irrespective of caste, class or creed.