Engineers Day : Celebrating the Brilliance of Engineers

Every year September 15 is observed as Engineers Day. This day is observed to recognise the contribution of engineers in the development and progress of the country . This day is also observed as Engineers Day in Sri Lanka and the African country of Tanzania .

Background to the Engineers Day 

The Engineers Day coincides with the birth anniversary of  India’s greatest engineer Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya. Visvesvaraya was born on 15th September 1861 in Muddenahalli,Karnataka. He was also a diwan of the former Mysore kingdom . 

To honour  and commemorate Visvesvaraya ‘s contribution to the country, the government of India in 1968 announced to observe 15 September as Engineers Day.  

Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was a civil engineer as well as an administrator . His specialisation was in irrigation and flood control . He designed the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam on river Kaveri in Karnataka. 

The most notable contribution of his was the creation of 'block systems', an ingenious automated door system which gets activated during water overflow. 

Award to Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya

Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire by King George V in 1915,

He was awarded India's highest civilian award , Bharat Ratna in 1955.