Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was an eminent engineer, scholar, and statesman, who passed away on April 14, 1962. He served as the 19th Dewan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918. Visvesvaraya was known for his sincerity, time management and dedication to his cause. He was a visionary whose contributions to engineering, education, and nation-building have left an indelible mark on India's development trajectory. Visvesvaraya worked as a civil engineer for the government of British India and later as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Mysore. For his services to British India, he was appointed CIE and later knighted KCIE. For his services to the Kingdom of Mysore and the Republic of India, he was awarded the Bharata Ratna by the Government of India in 1955. As Sir M. Visvesvaraya’s death anniversary nears, here are some interesting facts about the great scholar of India. Engineer's Day Date in India: Know History, Significance and Importance of the Day Celebrated in Honour of M. Visvesvaraya Birth Anniversary.

Facts about Sir M. Visvesvaraya:

  • Sir M. Visvesvaraya is regarded in India as one of the foremost civil engineers whose birthday, 15 September, is celebrated every year as Engineer's Day in India, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania.

  • He is also often regarded as ‘the maker of modern Mysore’. According to Prajavani, a Kannada language newspaper, he is also the most popular figure in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.

  • A very important part of Visvesvaraya's nature was his love for the Kannada language. He set up Kannada Parishat for the improvement of Kannada. He wanted seminars for Kannada supporters to be instituted and conducted right in Kannada.

  • Visvesvaraya was a strict lacto-vegetarian who never ate meat or eggs. He was also a non-smoker and a teetotaller.

  • In 1912, Visvesvaraya was appointed Dewan of Mysore by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV. He served for nearly seven years until 1918. With support from the Maharaja, Visvesvaraya contributed to the general development of the Kingdom of Mysore.

  • Visvesvaraya played a pivotal role in the establishment of several educational institutions, including the renowned Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore, which remains a premier institution for scientific research and education in India.

  • Visvesvaraya received recognition in many fields, most notably education and engineering. Several prominent colleges around India are named in his honour. Two metro stations in India, one in Bangalore on the Purple Line (Sir M. Visveshwaraya Station, Central College), and another one in Delhi on the Pink Line (Sir Vishweshwaraiah Moti Bagh), are named after him.

Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya's contributions were recognized both nationally and internationally. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 1955 for his exceptional service to the nation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 14, 2024 09:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).