APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial Project Contest'15

Bharat Ratna Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya (1860-1962) was called a wizard in engineering. He was also called the precursor of economic planning in India. He took an interest not in engineering alone, but was capable of applying his talent to many allied matters connected with the development of the nation. His learned discourse on economic planning in India titled 'Planned Economy for India and Reconstructing India' was the first available document on the planning effort of the country and it is still held as the parent source matter for economic planners. To commemorate the birthday of Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya, the Council of the Institution decided to observe September 15 as the Engineers' Day every year. This is celebrated throughout the country through all the Centres of the Institution with learned discourses on a theme specified by the Council every year.

Career In Brief

• Joined service as Assistant Engineer in Bombay, 1884; served in Nasik, Khandesh and Poona;

• Services lent to Municipality of Sukkur in Sind, 1894: designed and carried out the water works of that Municipality, 1895;

• Executive Engineer, Surat, 1896;

• Assistant Superintending Engineer, Poona, 1897–99; visited China and Japan, 1898;

• Executive Engineer for Irrigation, Poona, 1899;

• Sanitary Engineer, Bombay, and Member, Sanitary Board, 1901; gave evidence before the Indian Irrigation Commission, 1901;

• Designed and constructed Automatic Gates patented by him at Lake Fife Storage Reservoir; introduced a new system of irrigation known as the "Block System", 1903; represented the Bombay Government at the Simla Irrigation Commission, 1904; on special duty, 1905;

• Superintending Engineer, 1907; visited Egypt, Canada. United States of America and Russia, 1908;

• Services lent as Special Consulting Engineer, Hyderabad, to supervise and carry out Engineering works in connection with the Musi floods, 1909;

• Retired from British service, 1909;

• Chief Engineer and Secretary to the Government of Mysore, 1909;

• Dewan of Mysore, P. W. and Railway Department, 1913;

• Board of director of TATA STEEL, 1927-1955.