Engineers Day: Every year 15 September is celebrated as Engineers Day in India. This day is dedicated to the great engineer of the country and Bharat Ratna Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya. His birth anniversary is on 15 September, so in his memory his birthday is celebrated as Engineers Day. M Visvesvaraya was an expert in flood disaster management and irrigation techniques. Civil engineer Visvesvaraya played an important role in the construction of dams, reservoirs and hydropower projects of modern India. The government honored him with Bharat Ratna in the year 1955. Apart from paying tribute to Sir Visvesvaraya, Engineers Day is also a day to salute the contribution of engineers in nation building. Engineers Day reminds us of the important role of engineering professionals in advancing technology, making life better and easier and accelerating economic development. Engineers have always made the difficulties of our life easier. Made the unimaginable imaginable. 15 September is a day to celebrate their achievements.
Who was M Visvesvaraya
Visvesvaraya was also known as Sir MV in the country. The full name of Sir Visvesvaraya was Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya. M Visvesvaraya, who was awarded Bharat Ratna, was born on 15 September 1861 in a Telugu family in Kakballapur taluk of Kolar district of Mysore in Karnataka. People used to call him Vishwa. Visvesvaraya’s father’s name was Srinivas Shastri, who was a Sanskrit scholar and a doctor of Ayurveda. He was 12 years old when his father died.
Visvesvaraya had a keen interest in science since childhood. After obtaining a degree in civil engineering from the Science College of Poona in 1883, Visvesvaraya immediately got a government job as an assistant engineer. In 1909, the Diwan of Mysore offered him the post of Chief Engineer of the state, which he accepted. Seeing Vishwaji’s excellent work, the King of Mysore appointed him as the Diwan of Mysore.
Father of Modern Mysore
He was the 19th Diwan of Mysore whose tenure lasted from 1912 to 1918. Due to his works done in Mysore, he is called the father of modern Mysore. He played an important role in making Mysore a developed and prosperous region. He established many factories and educational institutions in collaboration with the Mysore government. Many institutions including Krishnaraja Sagar Dam, Bhadravathi Iron and Steel Works, Mysore Sandal Oil and Soap Factory, Mysore University, Bank of Mysore came into existence due to his efforts.
He is considered the main pillar of the construction of Krishnaraja Sagar Dam in Mandya district. Millions of farmers and common people are benefiting from the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam built by him on the Kaveri River. He also gave a system to protect the city of Hyderabad from floods. He patented and installed an irrigation system with water floodgates in the Khadakvasla reservoir near Pune. In 1917, Visvesvaraya founded the Government Engineering College in Karnataka, now known as University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering.
He prepared a plan to send water from the Indus River to the town of Sakkhar. He built steel doors that helped in stopping the flow of water from the dam. Visvesvarayya also made a plan to dam the water of two rivers named Musi and Asi. Even today, water supply systems built on his advice are used. Today, the civil engineers of the country take inspiration from him.
In 1955, he received the Bharat Ratna award. King George V also honoured him with the title of Knight Commander of the British Indian Empire. Dr. Mokshagundam is also known as Bhagiratha of Karnataka. Dr. Mokshagundam died in 1962 at the age of 102.
On the occasion of Engineers Day, students in engineering colleges are given awards for their achievements.
