Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya

Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya was an eminent Indian engineer and statesman. He is a recipient of the Indian republic's highest honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1955. He was also knighted by the British for his myriad contributions to the public good. Every year, 15th September is celebrated as the Engineer's Day in India in his memory and is a public holiday in some places, especially his birth state Karnataka.

Mysore University
Reproduced with permission from
Gowtham

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.)