Engineer's Day is celebrated on September 15 every year to mark the birth anniversary of Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya. Here's everything you must know about the eminent engineer.
A prolific civic engineer, educationist, economist, scholar of the 20th century, Visvesvaraya made significant contributions in the field of engineering. However, UNESCO celebrates World Engineer's Day on March 4 annually. Engineer's Day is observed to acknowledge the efforts of various engineers who have made contributions in this field to make our present lives comfortable.
Who was Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya?
On Engineer's Day, the nation pays tribute to Visvesvaraya for his contributions to the society. Born in Karnataka in 1861, Visvesvaraya studied Bachelor of Arts(BA) from the University of Mysore and then studied civil engineering from the College of Science in Pune and went on to become one of the most eminent engineers in the country.
Visvesvaraya started his career as an assistant engineer in the Public Works Department of the Government of Bombay and made significant contributions to many technical projects in Mysore, Hyderabad, Odisha and Maharashtra. He was appointed as the Diwan of Mysore in 1912 and as a chief engineer, he constructed the famous Krishna Raja Sagara Dam in the city.
He brought major reforms in the field of banking, education, commerce, agriculture, irrigation and industralisation and was also a well-known precursor of economic planning in India.
Significant contributions of Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya:
- His notable contributions include the block system of irrigation in the Deccan canals in 1899 and the flood protection system in Hyderabad.
-The automatic water floodgates, initially installed at the Khadakwasla reservoir in Pune in 1903, were later patented and the government of India also graced him with 'Bharat Ratna' for his work.
-He also established the Government Engineering College in Bengaluru in 1917, which was later renamed as University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering. An architect of Krishnaraja Sagar Dam, he also served as one of the chief engineers of the flood protection system in Hyderabad.
-He was known for his excellent irrigation techniques and had flood disaster management skills.
-He also authored various books, such as 'Reconstructing India' and 'Planned Economy of India'.
Awards and Honours:
The government of India awarded Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya with the highest possible civilian honour - Bharat Ratna in 1955 for his outstanding contributions to industrial, economic, and social projects. He was also graced with the British Knighthood by the then King George VV, which put 'Sir" before his name.
Engineer's Day 2021: Theme
The theme for Engineer's Day 2021 is 'Engineering for A Healthy Planet- Celebrating the UNESCO Engineering Report'. Last year, the theme was ‘Engineers for a Self-Reliant India.’ Newsletter items, social media broadcasts and promotional campaigns play a key role in deciding the theme for Engineer's Day every year.
