Today, India celebrates Engineer’s Day to mark the 156th birth anniversary of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya, one of the greatest engineers and a person behind many iconic constructions in India.
Sir M Visvesvarayya was an acclaimed engineer recognized for his mastermind in harnessing water resources. He revolutionized the irrigation system in India and successfully designed, constructed several river dams, bridges and also implementing irrigation and drinking water system.
Facts About Sir M Visvesvarayya
Listed below are some facts about Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya that you should know:
• Also known as Sir MV, he was born in the year 1861 in a village called Muddenahalli in Karnataka
• Visvesvarayya completed his graduation in Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Madras and pursued civil engineering from College of Science in Pune
• King George V knighted him as a commander of the British Indian Empire, in the year 1915
• In 1955, the government of India conferred him with the highest civilian honour — the Bharat Ratna
• Even before receiving a fellowship by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, Visvesvarayya became a member of the London Institution of Civil Engineers
• He designed and patented automatic water floodgates, which were first installed at the Khadakwasla reservoir, in Pune in the year 1903
• He was called the precursor of economic planning in India.
• The eminent engineer passed away in 1962.
A Few Office Held By Sir M Visvesvarayya
• Assistant Engineer, Bombay Government Service [in 1884]
• Chief Engineer, Hyderabad State [he served only for 7 months starting April 15, 1909]
• Chief Engineer in Mysore State [Nov 15, 1909]. He was also Secretary to the Railways.
• President of Education and Industrial Development committees in Mysore State
• Dewan of Mysore. [for six years starting 1912]
• Chairman, Bhadravati Iron Works
• Member of the Governing Council of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
• Member of the Governing Council of Tata Iron and Steel Company [TISCO]
• Member of Back Bay enquiry committee, London
• Member of a committee constituted in 1917 to make recommendations regarding the future of Indian States.
Few Things Sir M Visvesvarayya Was Responsible For In Karnataka
• The architect of the Krishnarajasagara dam – or KRS or Brindavan gardens. One of the biggest dams in India which irrigate a hundred and twenty thousand acres of land.
• Bhadravati Iron and Steel Works – as its Chairman he rescued it from becoming extinct.
• Mysore Sandal Oil Factory and the Mysore soap factory
• Mysore University – Sir M.V.’s question was “If Australia and Canada could have universities of their own for less than a million population, cannot Mysore with a population of not less that 60 lakhs have a University of its own?”
• State Bank of Mysore (it was first named as ‘The Bank of Mysore’)
• Public libraries in Mysore and Bangalore
• Encouraging girls to attend school.
• Mysore Chambers of Commerce
• Kannada Sahitya Parishad or the Kannada Literary Academy
• Sri Jayachamarajendra Occupational Institute, Bangalore – funded by the ENTIRE money [Rs 200,000] he earned from rescuing Bhadravati Iron Works.
• In 1912 he set up Hebbal Agricultural School, now University of Agricultural Sciences.
• In 1903 he designed automatic, weir water floodgates, installed at Khadakvasla reservoir.
• He implemented irrigation system in Karnataka.
• Sri Jayachamarajendra Polytechnic Institute.
• The Bangalore Agricultural University (University of Agricultural Sciences).
• The Century Club
• Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, Bengaluru
