Shri Mokshagundam Visweswaraya
Shri Mokshagundam Visweswaraya was an exceptional Engineer of remarkable skill. He was born on 15 September 1861 to Srinivasa Shastry and Venkatalakshmi in the village of Muddenahalli in Karnataka State’s Chikkaballapur district. His dad was a teacher of Sanskrit. In fact, the forebears of Shri Visweswarayya originated from Mokshagundam in the Prakasham district of the coastal Andhra area. The people of Karnataka regard him as Kannda Jati Pita (Father of Modern Mysore). His birthday is celebrated as Engineers’ Day by the Republic of India since 1968. The British revered him as Sir. (मोक्षगुंडम विश्वेश्वरय्या, మోక్షగుండం విశ్వేశ్వరయ్య )
Various educational, industrial, and cultural institutions are named after Sir M. Visvesvaraya (Sir MV) in his honour across the country:
Educational Institutions
- Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU): Belagavi, in Karnataka.
- University of Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE): in Karnataka, it was later renamed in his honor.
- Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT): Nagpur, Maharashtra.
- Sir M. Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology (Sir MVIT): in Bengaluru.
- Sir M.V. School of Architecture: in Bengaluru.
- Sir M. Visvesvaraya Postgraduate Centre, Mandya: Mysore.
- Visvesvaraya Polytechnic College: in Almala, Maharashtra.
- Visvesvaraya Hostel: at IIT (BHU) Varanasi.
Museums and Cultural Sites
- Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM): in Bengaluru.
- Visvesvaraya National Memorial Trust: his birthplace in Muddenahalli,
Industrial and Public Infrastructure
- Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant (VISL): in Bhadravathi, Karnataka.
- Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVB) : A state-of-the-art railway terminal in Baiyappanahalli, Bengaluru.
- Metro Stations: Sir M. Visveshwaraya Station in Bengaluru and the
- Sir Vishweshwaraiah Moti Bagh Station in Delhi
Mokshagundam Visweswaraya
Shri Mokshagundam Visweswaraya completed his schooling in Chikballapur and subsequently earned a BA degree in 1881 from Central College, Bangalore. He earned a B Sc degree from the University of Madras. He completed his Civil Engineering degree at Govt College of Engineering, Pune in 1884.
He started his career as an assistant engineer in the PWD of the Mumbai Municipality. Afterward, he joined the Indian Irrigation Commission. He worked for the flood mitigation in the Deccan region. In 1903, he developed and obtained a patent for his Automatic Weir flood gates, which were first installed at the Khadakvasla dam near Pune. Afterward, these gates were installed at Tigra Dam – Gwalior, and Krishna Raj Sagar Dam – Mysore. He served as the Chief Engineer for the Lakshmi Talva Dam in Kolhapur. His creations of automatic sluice gates and block systems contributed in minimizing wastage of water and thereby enhancing agricultural productivity.
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He entered the service of Mysore State in 1909. He served as the chairman of the engineering board for the Tungabhadra dam located in Hospet, Karnataka.
Krishna Raj Sagar Dam
The Krishna Raj Sagar Dam held the largest water reservoir in Asia during that period. KRS dam was constructed over the Kaveri river (1924). He managed the construction of the KRS Dam from foundation to inauguration as Chief Engineer . Upon its completion, it supplied drinking water to Mysore, Mandya, and Bangalore city, while also expanding irrigation systems for extensive agricultural lands. The renowned Brindavan Gardens can be found downstream of the KRS dam.
He played a key role in safeguarding Vishakhapatnam port against coastal erosion. He charted out a plan for the proposal to construct the Ghat road connecting Tirumala to Tirupathi.
And Shri Mokshagundam Visweswarayya played a key role in managing the floods of the Musi river. HE was one of the Chief engineers for Nizam of Hyderabad. Gandipet and Hussain Sagar (Tank Bund) were his creations.
He journeyed to China, Japan, Egypt, Canada, the USA, and Russia. He journeyed to Aden (at that time part of India) to offer advice on flood and drainage initiatives in that region.
Shri Mokshagundam Visweswaraya wrote numerous books of national significance. They are, 1. Rebuilding India (1920), 2. Planned Economy for India (1936), 3. Recollections of my professional life (1951), 4. Joblessness in India (1932), etc.,
Father of Modern Mysore
Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar appointed him Dewan of Mysore in 1912. He served as Diwan until 1918. During his time with the Government of Mysore state, he advocated for the establishment of industries. He was instrumental in founding the Mysore Soap Factory, the Parasitoide Laboratory, the Mysore Iron & Steel Works (now known as Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Limited) in Bhadravathi, the Sri Jayachamarajendra Polytechnic Institute, Bangalore Agricultural University, and the State Bank of Mysore.
Shri Mokshagundam Visweswaraya founded the Mysore Chamber of Commerce as well. He founded the Government Engineering College in Bangalore in 1917. It was subsequently called University Visweswarayya College of Engineering. He authorized multiple new railway routes in Mysore. He established Kannada parishat to preserve the Kannada language.
He was honored by the people of Karnataka in various ways. The university in Belagavi was named in his honor as Visweswaraya Technological University. Similar to the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering and Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology, Bengaluru.
Additionally, Nagpur NIT is named in his honor as Visweswaraya Institute of Technology. There is a Hostel in Benaras named after him at IIT (Benaras Hindu University) campus.
Engineers’ Day
His birthday is celebrated as Engineers’ Day by the Republic of India since 1968.
Bharata Ratna
In 1955, the Government of India awarded Shri Mokshagundam Visweswaraya the nation’s highest civilian honor, the “Bharata Ratna.”
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