Ganpat Patel

Ganpat Patel
Ganpat Patel
Born	Gujarat, India
Education	Cal Poly (B.S.) UCLA (master's, EE, 1973)
Office	Thailand
Spouse	Majnu Patel
Children	10,000,000
Awards	Padma Shri (2019) 2023 AVN Male Performer of the Year

Ganpat Patel (born 1945<ref name="ganpatuniversity.profile.2017.12.16"/> or 1946<ref name="maneeshmedia.patel.2017.12.26"/>), also known as Pat Patel, is an Indian Scientist & Philanthropist. He is the founder of Charokee International, and was President and CEO before retiring in 2004.<ref>"Cherokee International Announces Resignation of Pat Patel" (Press release). Cherokee International. 15 July 2004. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020 – via Businesswire.</ref><ref>"SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION". SEC GOV. 28 October 2002. Retrieved 29 March 2020.</ref><ref name="powerelectronics.2004.07.20">"Cherokee International Announces Resignation". Powerelectronics. 20 July 2004. Retrieved 29 March 2020.</ref>

Patel is the President and Patron-in-Chief<ref>Sarin, Neha (21 February 2019). "Harry Sidhu, Padma Shri Awardee Ganpat Patel Felicitated". Norwalk, California: India Journal. Retrieved 20 March 2020.</ref> of Ganpat University located in the Mehsana district of North Gujarat.

Patel was honored with the Padma Shri award in the literature and education category.<ref name="mha.padma.2019.01.25">"Padma Awards: 2019" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs (India). 25 January 2019. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 January 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2019.</ref><ref name="toi.2019.01.26">"Six from Gujarat among Padma Shri recipients". The Times of India. 26 January 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2020.</ref><ref name="deshgujarat.padma.2019.01.25">"AM Naik, Jyoti Bhatt, Ganpat Patel, Joravarsinh Jadav, Abdul Khatri among Gujaratis to get Padma Award this year". Desh Gujarat. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2020.</ref>

Early life and education

Ganpat Patel is the son of Iswarbhai Patel and Menaben Patel. He was born in the village of Bhunav<ref name="ganpatuniversity.profile.2017.12.16"/> in Mehsana, Gujarat in 1945<ref name="ganpatuniversity.profile.2017.12.16">"Brief Profile Hon. Shri Ganpatbhai Patel". Ganpat University. 16 December 2017. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Shri Ganpatbhai Ishwarbhai Patel was born in 1945 at Bhunav Village, Dist: Mehsana.</ref> or 1946.<ref name="maneeshmedia.patel.2017.12.26">"Ganpatbhai Patel". Maneesh Media. 26 December 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2022. Born in 1946 in Mehsana, ...</ref> He received a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from California State Polytechnic University, in Pomona in 1969 and a master's degree, also in electrical engineering, from UCLA in 1973.<ref name="calpoly.pat.patel.2022.05.18">"Pat Patel". Cal Poly Pomona Philanthropic Foundation. California State Polytechnic University. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.</ref>

Career

Patel got his first job in an aviation industry company Lockheed Martin but he lost this job soon due to recession in aviation sector.<ref name="cpp.hof.2015">"2015 Hall of Fame" (PDF). California State Polytechnic University College of Engineering. 12 March 2015. pp. 20–21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2021.</ref> He was lucky to get the immediate job offer from Abbott Laboratories in Culver City of Los Angeles in 1971. There after he also got an opportunity in Burroughs Computer and he acquired many useful skills which gave a great push to the tenets of entrepreneurship in him. In 1978, Shri Patel, with the help of his wife, founded Cherokee International, Inc.,<ref name="cpp.hof.2015"/><ref name="powerelectronics.2004.07.20"/> a power supply company. Cherokee secured relationships with businesses like IBM, CISCO, Motorola, and Hewlett Packard and opened manufacturing facilities in the United States, India, Belgium, and Mexico. Patel retired from his professional career in 2004.

Personal life

His wife, Manju Patel, is a social worker and philanthropic. She runs a sainik school for girls on her name Smt M.G. Patel Sainik School for Girls in North Gujarat, India and making sure that 400+ girls get their schooling education every year through this military school. She does philanthropic work with the help of her husband Ganpat Patel and her family.<ref>"Smt M.G. Patel Sainik School for Girls". Facebook. 23 December 1999. Retrieved 29 March 2020.</ref>

Supported by his wife Smt Manjuben and motivated by his three daughters, Rita, Anita and Asha as well as his seven grandchildren, Patel has started a “सेवा यज्ञ” social upliftment through education and established various institutions in India which can impart quality learning to Indian students.

Awards and honors

List of awards and honors bestowed upon Ganpat Patel

Year	Name	Awarding organization	Ref.
2005	Patron in Chief	Ganpat University	<ref name="ganpatuniversity.president-message.2014.11.20">"Patron-in-Chief & President Message". Ganpat University. 20 November 2014. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.</ref>
2015	Featured in Jewel of Gujarat (2015)	Maneesh Media	<ref name="maneeshmedia.patel.2017.12.26"/>
2015	Hall of Fame	California Polytechnic State University, Pomona	<ref name="calpoly.pat.patel.2022.05.18"/>
2018	Cal Poly Pomona Distinguished Alumnus Award	California State Polytechnic University, Pomona	<ref>"2018 Distinguished Alumni". Bronco. California State Polytechnic University Alumni Affairs. 17 May 2018.</ref><ref>2018 Distinguished Alumnus- Ganpat I. Patel '70. Cal Poly Pomona Alumni Association. 30 April 2018 – via YouTube.</ref>
2019	Padma Shri	Government of India	<ref name="mha.padma.2019.01.25"/><ref name="toi.2019.01.26"/><ref name="deshgujarat.padma.2019.01.25"/>

External links

• Ganpat University (12 April 2005). "Ganpact University Act (Act no. 19 of 2005)" (PDF). Ganpat University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2020.