Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya September 15 is a memorable day in the annals of the engineering community in this country.

On this day, 149 years ago, one of the greatest sons of India- Sir Mo shagundam !is"es"araya, the to#ering personality in the history of Indian engineering, #as born in the $olar district of $arnata a. %fter his early schooling in &hi aballapur, he mo"ed to 'angalore for further studies. (e too his engineering degree in 1))* from Military +ngineering &ollege, ,une and -oined 'ombay ,./. (e too "oluntary retirement from the ser"ice as Superintending +ngineer after 01 years as the post of &hief +ngineer, #as not meant for Indians those days. (e #as associated #ith many ma-or pro-ects during his ser"ice. 1etirement meant more #or and ser"ice to (umanity for Sir M. !is"es"araya. Soon he #as appointed (yderabad. special 3he &hief flood +ngineer control and by 2o"t of underground

drainage of (yderabad #as completed under his super"ision, #hich is considered perfect e"en today. In 1910 he #as appointed as /e#an of Mysore. 3he

follo#ing

years

#itnessed

an

era

of

planned

de"elopment and all round gro#th of Mysore. % "isionary #ho could thin ahead of his time, !is"es"araya reali4ed that there could be no sal"ation of the people of the country #ithout -udicious use of technological transformation industries li e inno"ations. of (e initiated economy the of agriculture-based Mysore Sil ,

$arnata a to an industry based one. /uring this period Mysore Sandal, of 3hungabhadra Steels etc #ere started. 'an

Mysore, many educational institutions in Mysore and the School of Mechanical +ngineering, presently no#n as Sir !is"es"araya &ollege of +ngineering under 'angalore uni"ersity #ere also started during this period. %fter 1919 he ser"ed the country in "arious ad"isory capacities. (e played a planning importance of /elhi. #as %fter to gi"en the ey role in the prime of de"elopment Independence

%griculture, Irrigation and ,o#er. Most of the hydraulic and po#er structures of the time too shape from his brilliant ideas. $risnara-asagar dam, Mysore,

Khadakwasla dam, ,une5 6lood mitigation structures in Orissa #hich came as a forerunner of (ira ud pro-ect, bloc irrigation systems, many canal structures etc are some of the e7amples of his brilliance. +"en at the age of 90, he acti"ely led ma-or pro-ects li e the bridge construction across 2anga. %n era in the technological and industrial gro#th of India came to an end #hen he passed a#ay in 1980 at the age of 191. (is technical brilliance too our nation a long #ay, and his administrati"e s ills contributed to the industrial gro#th of our country. 'esides being a brilliant engineer and able administrator he al#ays remained rooted to the core "alues of Indian culture. 3hese "alues in his life of #hich he #as al#ays conscious, ma e him a great human being. Spotless honesty, modesty and punctuality #ere the ey #ords in his life. (e had the courage of con"iction that helped him implement all his plans in the face of criticism and opposition many a time. :ater his "isions pro"ed to be correct. (e #as a#are of the ethics of the profession, #hich he #as

#edded to and al#ays follo#ed them. (e had a number of publications in +ngineering and an e;ual or more number of publications in Indian industry and +conomy to his credit. (e #or ed ceaselessly throughout his life to bring the fruits of ad"anced science and technology to the doorsteps of the common man. In recognition of his ser"ices to the de"elopment of the nation and for the cause of engineering, he #as honoured by the country<s highest &i"ilian %#ard Bharat Ratna - in 1955. .e bo# to the memory of this great +ngineer on this 4*rd +ngineers< /ay.