Sir M. Visvesvaraya

About Sir M. Visvesvaraya

• Sir M. Visvesvaraya was a civil engineer, statesman and the 19th Diwan of Mysore.
• Birth: He was born on September 15, 1861 in the Muddenahalli village of Karnataka.
• Early Life: He completed his school education in his hometown and later on went to study Bachelor of Arts at the University of Madras.
  • He then pursued a diploma in civil engineering at the College of Science in Pune.
  • After completing his engineering at Poona College of Science, Visvesvaraya joined the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Government of Bombay as an Assistant Engineer.
• Later life: In 1909, he joined the Mysore service as Chief Engineer, ultimately assuming the position of the 19th Dewan of Mysore.
  • He took voluntary retirement in 1918 because he did not agree with the proposal to set aside state jobs for the “non-brahmin” community.
  • After his retirement, he presided as chairman or became a member of various committees including the Bombay Technical and Industrial Education Committee, Bombay University Committee for Promoting Chemical Industries and the Cauvery Canal Committee.
• Significant Works:
  • Irrigation: He introduced the Block System of Irrigation in the Deccan canals in 1899. Its aim was to spread irrigation benefits to more villages and use suitable soil areas effectively.
  • Sukkur Water Problem: He solved the problem of muddy and discoloured water in Sukkur on the Indus River.
  • Automatic Water Gates: He invented automatic gates to control water flow in reservoirs. These were patented and were first installed at the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) Dam in Karnataka in the 1920s.
  • Learning from Abroad: He visited countries such as Italy and Japan to study irrigation, drainage, soil erosion and economic development.
    • His visits made him realise the importance of scientific knowledge, discipline and hard work.
  • Economic Planning Advocate (Visvesvaraya Plan): He is widely recognized as an early advocate and practitioner of Economic Planning in India, called the Visvesvaraya Plan, which he presented in a book titled “Planned Economy in India”.
• Contribution to Education: His visit to Japan in 1898 convinced him that education, especially education of girls, is essential for economic development.
  • University of Mysore: As Dewan of Mysore, he played an important role in establishing the University of Mysore in 1916.
  • In 1917, he founded the Government Engineering College in Bengaluru which was later renamed as University of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering in his honour.
  • Technical Education: After retiring in 1918, he continued working for industrial development, including the Mysore Iron and Steel Works
  • Technical Institute: He established the Sir Jayachamarajendra Occupational Institute, Bangalore, in 1943, later renamed Sir Jayachamarajendra Polytechnic, to train technicians for India’s growing industries.
• Principles:
  • Modernisation: He strongly believed that India must adopt science, technology, scientific thinking and modern methods for economic progress.
  • Self-Examination: He urged India to study its own conditions and compare them with other countries to identify areas for improvement.
• Literary work: Books: He wrote Reconstructing India (1920) and Planned Economy of India (1934).
• Recognition:
  • Awards: He has been honoured with Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in 1911, Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (KCIE) in 1915.
    • He was also awarded with Bharat Ratna in 1955.
  • Honorary Memberships and Fellowships: He received an honorary membership from the Institution of Civil Engineers, London; a fellowship from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and several honorary degrees, including D.Sc., LL.D., and D.Litt., from eight universities in India.
  • He also presided over the Indian Science Congress in 1923.

About Engineers’ Day

• Engineers’ Day is celebrated in India every year on September 15.
• It commemorates the birth anniversary of Sir M. Visvesvaraya and honours his remarkable contributions to engineering and nation-building.