Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya

Sir M. Visvesvaraya was a distinguished Indian engineer, statesman, and scholar who served as the 19th Dewan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918. He is widely regarded as the father of the Green Revolution in India and one of the foremost engineers of his time. His birthday, 15 September, is celebrated every year as Engineer's Day in India, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania. He was born on 15 September 1861 in Muddenahalli, a village near Bangalore in present-day Karnataka. His father was a Sanskrit scholar and a social reformer who encouraged his son to pursue education. He completed his primary education in Bangalore and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Madras in 1881. He then joined the College of Engineering in Pune where he graduated as an engineer in 1884. He started his career as an assistant engineer in the Public Works Department of Bombay Presidency in 1885. He worked on various projects related to irrigation, drainage, water supply, and flood control in different parts of India and abroad. He also joined the Indian Irrigation Commission and helped to devise a system of irrigation for the Deccan region. He rose to prominence for his role in designing and constructing the Krishna Raja Sagara dam across the Kaveri river in Mandya district of Karnataka. The dam was completed in 1931 and created one of the largest reservoirs in Asia at that time. It also transformed the surrounding barren lands into fertile fields for agriculture. He also devised a system of steel doors that could be raised or lowered to regulate the flow of water and prevent wastage. He was appointed as the Dewan of Mysore by Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV in 1912. He served as the chief administrator of the state for six years and introduced several reforms and initiatives to improve its economy, education, health, industry, agriculture, and infrastructure. He established several educational institutions, banks, industries, and cooperative societies. He also promoted the use of Kannada language and culture. He retired from his service as Dewan in 1918 and devoted himself to scientific research and social work. He founded several institutions and organizations such as the Government Engineering College (now known as University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering) in Bangalore in 1917, the Mysore Iron and Steel Works (now known as Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant) in Bhadravati in 1923, the State Bank of Mysore (now known as Karnataka Bank) in 1913, the Century Club in Bangalore in 1917, and the Mysore Economic Conference in 1911. He also chaired several committees and commissions on topics such as education, planning, finance, industry, and water resources. He was honored with numerous awards and recognitions for his contributions to engineering and public service. He was knighted by King George V in 1915 and received the title of Knight Commander of the Indian Empire (KCIE). He was also awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honor of India, in 1955. He was a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, the Indian National Science Academy, and the Royal Society of London. He also received honorary doctorates from several universities in India and abroad. He died on 14 April 1962 at the age of 100 in Bangalore. He was cremated with full state honors. He is remembered as a visionary leader, a pioneer engineer, and a great patriot who dedicated his life to the service of his country.