VISVESVARAYA
Some people are born great. On some greatness is thrust. But Visvesvaraya achieved greatness by hard work, by using their mind for creative positive thinking. Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was born on September 15, 1861, at Muddenahalli, in Mysore state. His father was a ayurved physician. Visvesvaraya’s father died when he was hardly fourteen rose from strength to strength to be the sixth Bharat Ratna in 1955.
Visvesvaraya joined the central college, Bangalore in 1875, staying with his uncle but meeting his expenses through tuitions. After completing his degree examination with distinction in 1880, Visvesvaraya entered the college of science at pune. Topping the list of successful candidate in civil engineering he joined Bombay public works department in 1884 as assistant engineer. As a civil engineer Visvesvaraya completed some challenging projects. Two well known projects of supply drinking water to Sukkur in Sind and Aden from dirty beds of Indus. For this innovative work, Visvesvaraya was honored with the title Kaiser e Hind by the government. He chose to join as chief engineer of Mysore, his native state in November 1909, for here he enjoyed the freedom to take on several projects which would truly benefit the poorest section of the populace. He prepared scheme for water supply road communication, irrigation. The Maharaja of Mysore appointed Visvesvaraya as the Dewan in November 1912. He resigned in 1919.
He worked, even when he was nearly 102 years old. He said “it is better to work out than rust out” he worked himself out till he could work no more. And then death came on April 14, 1962, taking him into the ranks of the immortal. Facets of his greatness are infinite.