Sir M. Visvesvaraya

Sir M. Visvesvaraya

Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, popularly and afectionately known as Sir M.V., was born on September 15, 1860 in a village known as Muddenahalli in Chikballapur Taluk, Kolar District. His father died in Kurnool when Visvesvaraya was just 15 years old. Visvevaraya completed his lower secondary schooling in Chikballapur. After schooling he joined Central College in Bangalore for his graduation.

He lead a very simple life. He was a strict vegetarian and a teetotaller. He would go to sleep by 10 P.M. and wake up at 6 A.M. His diet included a very light breakfast, two slices of bread or chappatis,vegetables without spcices, rasam, curds, Nanjangud bannanas for lunch. He was known for his honesty and integrity. Before accepting the position of Dewan of Mysore, he invited all his relatives for dinner. He told them very clearly that he would accept the prestigous office on the condition that none of them would approach him for favours. Such things are unheard of these days.

Some of the job positions he held were

1. Assistand Engineer, Bombay Government Service [in 1884]

2. Chief Engineer, Hyderabad State [he served only for 7 months starting April 15, 1909]

3. Chief Engineer in Mysore State [Nov 15, 1909]. He was also Secretary to the Railways.

4. President of Education and Industrial Development committees in Mysore State

5. Dewan of Mysore. [for six years starting 1912]

6. Chairman, Bhadravati Iron Works

7. Member of the Governing Council of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

8. Member of the Governing Council of Tata Iron and Steel Company [TISCO]

9. Member of Back Bay enquiry committee, London

10. Member of a committee constituted in 1917 to make recommendations regarding the future of Indian States.
Sir M.V. retired in 1908 and Sri Krishnarajendra Wodeyar, Maharaja of Mysore, was eager to secure the services of Visvesvaraya to serve Mysore. He joined as Chief Engineer in Mysore because he wanted challenging opportunities. Sir M.V. had earned a reputation for his honesty, integrity, ability and intelligence. He had introduced compulsory education in the State which later was embodied as a fundamental right in the Constitution of independent India.

To name few of the many things he was responsible for:

1. Architect of the Krishnarajasagara dam - or KRS or Brindavan gardens (PS: Unfortunately the govt officials of today are busy swallowing
money and defaming the beautiful gardens) One of the biggest dams in India which irrigates a hundred and twenty thousand acres of land.

2. Bhadravati Iron and Steel Works - as its Chairman he rescued it from becoming extinct.

3. Mysore Sandal Oil Factory and the Mysore soap factory

4. Mysore University - Sir M.V.'s question was "If Australia and Canada could have universitites of their own for less than a million population, cannot Mysore with a population of not less that 60 lakhs have a University of its own?" (PS: Today more and more colleges are being started, but for a
different reason - to make MONEY!)

5. State Bank of Mysore (it was first named The Bank of Mysore)

6. Public libraries in Mysore and Bangalore

7. Encouraging girls to attend school.

8. Mysore Chamber of Commerce

9. Kannada Sahitya Parishad or the Kannada Literary Academy

10. Sri Jayachamarajendra Occupational Institute, Bangalore - funded by the ENTIRE money [Rs 2 lacs] he earned from rescuing Bhadravati Iron Works (Modern Politicians - please learn something from Sir M.V.)

Sir M.V. was never interested in fame or publicity. But they came to him on their own. Every university in India sought him out to confer honoris causa. The univs of Allahabad, Andhra, Bombay, Calcutta, Jadhavpur, Mysore, Patna [not sure if he would want to accept from Patna now!] and Varanasi.

Some of the honours and laurels conferred on Sir M.V.,
1904 Honorary Membership of London Institution of Civil Engineers for an unbroken period of 50 years

1906 "Kaisar-i-Hind" in recognition of his services

1911 C.I.E. (Companion of the Indian Empire) at the Delhi Darbar

1915 K.C.I.E. (Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire)

1921 D.Sc. - Calcutta University

1931 LLD - Bombay University

1937 D.Litt - Benaras Hindu University

1943 Elected as an Honorary Life Member of the Institution of Engineers (India)

1944 D.Sc. - Allahabad University

1948 Doctorate - LLD., Mysore University

1953 D.Litt - Andhra University

1953 Awarded the Honorary Fellowship of the Institute of Town Planners, India

1955 Conferred ' BHARATHA RATNA'(The gem of India), the highest dinstiction of the country

1958 'Durga Prasad Khaitan Memorial Gold Medal' by the Royal Asiatic Society Council of Bengal

1959 Fellowship of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Sir M.V. belongs to that small band of eminent Indians whose ideas and achievements have been among the truly creative and formative force of modern India. Sir M.V.'s slogan was Industrialize or Perish and Mahatama Gandhiji's view was Industrialize and Perish. In 1921 Gandhiji launched his non-cooperation movement which Sir M.V. did not agree with. Sir M.V. wrote to Gandhiji urging him to be dressed better in view of the upcoming Round Table Conference. Sir M.V. used to be immacaulately dressed. The centenary of the birth of Sir M.V. was celebrated in Lal Bagh in Bangalore. Prime Minister Nehru flew down to Bangalore by a special plane to honour the greatest son of India. Sri Jayachamaraja Wodiyar presided over the function. Sir. M.V. died on April 12, 1962 at the age of 102 years, 6 months and 8 days. As per his wish, he was created in his brith place, Muddanahalli.

Bank Balance

We read this information in "Indian Express" on March 24, 2005 (by Arindam Bhattacharjee). This article just shows how simple Sir MV was and how diligently he maintained his accounts.

Sir MV maintained an account with Bank of Mysire, which is now State Bank of Mysore. Sir MB had Rs 990 on March 27, 1918, which increased to Rs 11,487 on March 3, 1919. His account had thrice attracted interests of Rs 14, Rs 66 and Rs 117 during this period. An entry in the passbook on Nov 18, 1918 reveals he got Rs 13,486 transferred to this current account from a fixed deposit account.