On September 15, 2022, India is celebrating Engineer’s Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, one of India’s greatest engineers. He was the 19th Diwan of Mysore and the first civil engineer, politician, and statesman.
He was born in Karnataka on September 15, 1861, and grew up in a Telugu family. He studied Bachelor of Arts at the University of Madras (BA). He eventually changed his mind and earned a diploma in civil engineering from the College of Science in Pune.
Sir MV is credited with inventing ‘Block systems.’ In addition, he developed an irrigation system with water floodgates at a reservoir near Pune to boost water supply and storage.
His well-known works are ‘Reconstructing India,’ published in 1920, and ‘Planned Economy of India,’ published in 1934. Sir MV is referred to as the “Precursor of Economic Planning in India” by the Institute of Engineers in India (IEI).
Sir MV’s studies and ideas also led to TATA steel engineers developing a bullet-resistant armoured vehicle. This particular vehicle saw service during World War II.
During his tenure as Diwan of Mysore in 1915, he was awarded Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire. In 1955, he received the nation’s highest honour, the Bharat Ratna. According to the Prajanavi daily, he is the most popular person in Karnataka.
Sir MV was honoured with a Google Doodle on September 15, 2018, to commemorate his 158th birthday.