National Engineer's Day: 10 inspiring quotes by Sir M Visvesvaraya

Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, widely known as Sir MV, was a distinguished engineer, statesman, and scholar who held the position of Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918. Engineer's Day, celebrated on September 15th each year, commemorates his birth anniversary. Born in 1860 in the humble village of Muddenahalli, near present-day Bengaluru, Visvesvaraya is affectionately referred to as the "builder of India."

Sir MV's contributions to the public good were so significant that he was knighted in 1955 by King George V as a Knight Commander of the British Indian Empire (KCIE), earning him the "Sir" prefix to his name. Interestingly, Engineer's Day is not just observed in India but also in Sri Lanka and Tanzania in his honor, underscoring his global recognition. He is celebrated as one of India's foremost engineers, renowned for his work on the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam in Mysore (Mysuru) and his pivotal role in designing a flood protection system in Hyderabad.

Visvesvaraya faced adversity early in life, losing his father when he was just 12 years old. Despite his humble beginnings, he pursued his education in Chikballapur and later came to Bangalore for high school. After earning a bachelor's degree in Arts from Central College in Bangalore, which was affiliated with Madras University, he embarked on an engineering journey at the College of Engineering in Pune. Graduating in 1884, he secured a position as an assistant engineer with the public works department (PWD) in Mumbai. Notably, he designed and executed waterworks for the Municipality of Sikur in 1895.

One of his groundbreaking innovations was the Block System, which effectively controlled the flow of water in dams, preventing wastage, and enabling automated doors to close during overflow conditions.

Sir MV was renowned not only for his punctuality, ingenious ideas, and unwavering dedication but also for his advocacy of the Kannada language.

This engineering prodigy breathed his last on April 14, 1962, just five months shy of his 102nd birthday.

10 inspiring quotes by Sir M Visvesvaraya:

"Remember, your work may be only to sweep a railway crossing, but it is your duty to keep it so clean that no other crossing in the world is as clean as yours."

"Work is worship."

"Wealth is not a sign of greatness; the size of one's character is."

"Science is a beautiful gift to humanity; we should not distort it."

"To give real service, you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money."

"The future of India lies in its villages."

"The industrial development of a country depends mainly on the development of industries in rural areas."

"Do not undervalue, waste or misuse any useful thing in the world. Let no useful thing be in your eyes useless."

"The first step in the progress of a nation is to reform the character of its citizens."

"The mind should be trained to think of the welfare of others."