The Manipal Institute of Technology (commonly known as MIT, Manipal and Manipaltech) is a constituent institution of the Manipal University that specializes in the fields of engineering and technology. MIT contains 16 academic departments, and awards undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees. Established in 1957 in Manipal, Karnataka, India, MIT is one of the first self-financed colleges in India. In 1957, Doctor Tonse Madhav Ananth Pai conceived of the idea of establishing an engineering college in Manipal. The Manipal Engineering College (MEC) was inaugurated on 11 May 1957 by the then Chief Minister of Mysore, Mr. Nijalingappa. For a few initial months, lectures were held at the Kasturba Medical College, Manipal campus before the infrastructure was ready at its present campus towards the end of 1957. The institute started with 25 staff members and an annual intake of 120 students for the under-graduate courses, in a campus of 180 acres (0.73 km). Civil engineering was the first discipline to be offered at the institute, but by 1961, full undergraduate programs were also available in the areas of mechanical engineering and electrical engineering.