National Engineers Day is annually celebrated across India on 15th September to pay tribute to India’s legendary dam builder and eminent engineer, Bharat Ratna Sir MV Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, who was born on 15th September 1861 in Muddenahalli, Karnataka.
The Engineer’s day was first observed in 1967 and 15th September 2020 marks the 53rd National Engineers Day.
About MV Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya:
Career:
i.He started his engineering career as the assistant engineer in the Public Work Department of the Bombay government.
ii.Later he became the chief Engineer in Mysore service and worked on various projects in Hyderabad, Mysore, Maharashtra and Odisha.
Important works:
i.His engineering contributions includes the Block system, in irrigation in Deccan canals in 1899, Irrigation system with water floodgates at Khadakwasla reservoir, which was also installed at the Tigra Dam, Gwalior and Krishnaraja Sagar Dam, Mysuru.
Highlights:
i.MV Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was the 19th Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918 during which he founded the Mysore Soap Factory, Bangalore Agricultural University and State Bank of Mysore. He was known as the “Father of Modern Mysore”.
ii.He also founded the Government Engineering College in 1917 which is now known as University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering(UNCE), the first engineering college of Karnataka.
iii.He was the chief engineer of the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam, one of the biggest dams in India.
Books:
He authored the books, “Reconstructing India” published in 1920 and “Planned Economy of India” in 1934.
Events 2020:
Engineer’s Day is celebrated by all the centres of Institution of Engineers (India) [IEI].
The central theme for the events of Engineers day 2020 is “Engineers for a Self-Reliant India”.
Note:
Telangana Celebrates Engineers Day on 11th July to mark the Birth Anniversary of Mir Ahmed Ali, Nawab Ali Nawaz Jung Bahadur, the chief Engineer during the Nizam rule in Hyderabad.
