Sir M.

Visvesvaraya

Chapter 17
Sir M. Visvesvaraya
Sir [Link]

Though Dewan Rangacharlu was a liberal person with a democratic way

of thinking and was keen on the State’s all-round progress – in agriculture,
industry, education and technology – he did not enjoy the necessary financial
and popular awakening nor the time to realise his dreams since his tenure
was of a very short span. On the other hand, when Sir [Link]
became the Dewan of Mysore after three decades in 1912, he was similar to
Rangacharlu in his far-sightedness and clear cut ideas of modernising Mysore
on par with developed nations. The two Dewans shared the same temperament
and strictly adhered to their ideas. Even some of their challenges were alike.
If Rangacharlu bore the burden of financial handicaps caused by the great
famine, Sir [Link] had to encounter financial constraints caused
by the First World War. However, unlike Rangacharlu, Sir [Link]
enjoyed a longer lease of office to implement his major dreams, laying down
a permanent foundation for building a model modern Mysore State. He also
enjoyed the goodwill of the Supreme Government initially due to his laudable
work in the Bombay Presidency and outside.
Born on 15th September 1861 at Muddenahalli in Kolar (now in Chikka-
ballapura) district, Sir [Link] did his early education in his own village
and his later education at Chikkaballapur. His father was a Sanskrit scholar,
priest and an Ayurvedic physician who passed away when Sir [Link]
was 15. At that time, he was a student in Chikkaballapur and upon his father’s
demise, his maternal uncle H Ramaiah brought him to Bangalore, where he
lived, and admitted him to the Wesleyan Mission School.1 As a means to pay
for his school and subsequent college, the young Visvesvaraya started teaching
1. Narayana Rao, V.S., Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya (Kannada), 1978 (Henceforth VSN), p.18. In this book, his
date of birth is given as 27. Aug, 1860-p.16; But most persons accept Sept.15th as the date)..
229
 Jewels of Administration

Sir [Link]’s Birth Place - Muddenahalli

Sir [Link]’s Museum - Muddenahalli

230
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

sons of a rich Kodagu (Coorg) bureaucrat.2 Being

a good student, he also managed to secure a
scholarship. In 1881, he earned his BA degree
with Mathematics and English as his major
subjects. For his impressive performance in his
exams, Rangacharlu, who was the Dewan of
Mysore at the time, awarded him a scholarship
to study at the Pune Science College. In 1883, Old Engineering College - Pune
he completed the engineering courses LCE and DCL within just two and a
half years though the courses were of three years duration.3 Once again, he
passed his exams with flying colours – he topped the Bombay Presidency. As
the topper, he was automatically appointed as an Assistant Engineer in March
1894 in the Presidency Service on a salary of Rs 100.4
Mean while, he got married and moved to Pune with his wife and his mother.
His wife however could not get accustomed to the weather there and returned
to Chikkaballapur where she later expired in 1888.5 Sir [Link] was
forced by his mother to marry a second time, but his second wife too passed
away while giving birth to their child in 1889. The family coerced him into
marrying for the third time, a union which too was short-lived. This time, his
wife was found to be untrustworthy and he sent her back to her home never to
return. 6 However, his family life never took centre stage in Sir [Link]’s
mind and he was only too happy to immerse himself completely in his work.

Engineer at work
As Assistant Engineer, Sir [Link] ensured the successful completion
of the water supply scheme to the town of Dhulia. His next posting was in
Pune, where he worked on a project to supply water to the surrounding villages
through irrigation canals. Here, he found some farmers utilising excessive
water while the fields of others were going dry. He called a meeting of ryots and
landlords and, despite much opposition, convinced them about the utility of
having a ‘Block System’ (rotation of crops) and put the same into practice. This
ensured a balanced and regular supply of water for agriculture in the region.
While the Government of India appointed a high-level commission to improve
the irrigation system, Sir [Link] had prepared a report on the Block
System within three months. According to the system, land was divided into
three blocks wherein one block would grow crops like sugarcane or rice which
required more water, the second block would grow a crop that needed water
once or twice a week and the third block would grow dry crops and vegetables.
The system was to be rotated each season. The Block System was found to be
very scientific as well as utilitarian. The Commission soon recommended it as
2. Ibid, p.19.
3. Ibid, p.20.
4. Ibid, Vesveshwaraya, M., Memoirs of My Working Life, 1951, p.1 (Memoirs henceforth).
5. IV.S.N., p.21.
6. Ibid, p.22.
231
 Jewels of Administration

most suitable for the Deccan and Sir [Link] received much praise for
his innovation.7
The utilisation of the waters of the Neera river canal along the Block System
was assigned to Sir [Link] by the Government, and despite opposition
from Collectors, Assistant Commissioners and European officers, within four
years, the system had been tried and tested with success. The yield of the Neera
canal-irrigated areas recorded a five percent increase in yield as compared
to the previous 3.5 percent. Senior Minister in Governor’s Council, Sir John
Moore Mackenzie paid a rich tribute to Sir [Link] and proclaimed in
the Bombay Council that the PWD Department did not have a more efficient
and talented officer – white or native –than Sir [Link].
His next posting after Pune was in Nasik and then in Khandesh. He was
assigned the supervision of construction of barrages, tunnels and canals. One
of his projects was to supply water to the village of Datari from the Panjra River
through construction of a pipe siphon. A tributary lay across the proposed
siphon. When the tributary swelled up during the rains, making it impossible
to work, Sir [Link] sought permission to postpone the work till the
rainy season ended. However, he got a stern reply that the work was to be
completed as scheduled. With the help of stone workers and local Bhils, Sir
[Link] toiled in the incessant rains to complete the work on time. The
siphon was fixed and water channelled into the canals. During the project,
as it was always raining and the river was swollen, he would travel by a raft
across the river each night to go back to his residence from site. There were
even two occasions when he had to stay back in the village where the work
was ongoing.8
Sir [Link]’s hard work and commitment to work earned him the
admiration of his senior officers. One of his superiors, an English officer named
Pallisar urged him to appear for both the technical departmental exam and
the Marathi test. He did, and cleared both the exams. His salary was hiked
to Rs. 500 within 20 months of his joining service. Since Khandesh was a
malaria-infested area, Sir [Link] requested for a transfer and ended
up in Pune once again, where he was assigned the supervision of buildings
and roads. 9

Water Supply at Sukkur

Sir [Link]’s track record of
successful and thriving projects saw him
being posted at Sukkur in Sindh (which
was part of Bombay Presidency). Here, he
was to arrange the water supply to Sukkur
from the Sindhu River. Executive Engineer
Reynold, rather than issuing an order,
Sukkur Water Supply
7. V.S.N., p.26.
8. Memoirs, p.2 – 3.
9. Ibid, p.4-5.
232
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

requested him to undertake the work himself. Sir [Link] agreed. In

view of the muddy river water, he modified the original plan and created a
very deep well in the river bed. Then, a tunnel built from the well filtered
and pumped the spring water automatically to a nearby hill called Edinburgh
Castle and from there, was piped down to the town. This not only ensured
fresh spring water supply but also saved the cost and time of filtering the
muddy river water as per the original plan. The Sukkur Municipality praised
Sir [Link] in superlative terms for his successful venture completed
in a short span of time under adverse weather conditions of extreme heat
and cold. At the inaugural address for the scheme, Governor Lord Sandhurst
congratulated the Municipality for securing the services of ‘the most efficient
engineer’ (1895), according to a report in the Times of India.10
Sir [Link]’s next transfer was to Surat, where once again he assisted
engineers in the water supply project by digging filtration wells under the bed
of the Tapati River by sinking them below the river bed and sealing them at
the top of the wells. From there, he was posted back to Pune as Assistant to
the Chief Engineer. That was the year of the famine in the Deccan and the
projects (already planned to eradicate famine) had to be improved, modified
and made more effective by Sir [Link]. He exhibited a high level of
innovation in all his projects which earned him the admiration and even envy
of the European engineers.11
Sir [Link] lived in Pune for many years and at this center of learning
and intellectual activity, he was able to cultivate acquaintance with liberals
like Justice Ranade and Gopalakrishna Gokhale and got to meet Lokamanya
Tilak and NC Kelkar. The city also strengthened his patriotic fervour. He
learned to speak Marathi and Gujarati fluently. With great efforts, he also
started the Deccan Club in Pune in 1891. He took leave to visit Japan in 1898
and extensively studied the technological progress there and returned much
impressed by the industriousness of the Japanese.12
One of his most remarkable contributions in Pune was to the city’s
drainage system. At the time, the drainage system in Pune was found to be
very problematic, especially for the exit of
water. In 1901, he re-laid the drainage with
modern pipe sewerage system with great skill
to much appreciation from Gopalakrishna
Gokhale who was the Municipal head of
Pune at the time. This was the first time a
pipe drainage system had been used.13
The Khadakwasla Reservoir near Pune
(Lake Fife) boasted of great storage capacity.
Khadakwasla Dam
When it was seen that a lot of water was
10. Ibid, p.6-7.
11. Ibid, p.8
12. VSN, p.8.
13. Memoirs, p.16-17.
233
 Jewels of Administration

going to waste during the rainy season, Sir

[Link] devised a system whereby
automatic gates could raise the storage capacity
by eight feet, and also provided automatic
sluice gates for the escape of flood water. These
automatic sluice gates with valves were his
own design which he patented, but he did not
demand any royalty for this innovation. The
increase in storage capacity by the Khadakwasla
automatic sluice gates also improved the water
supply system in Kirkee, the Cantonment
attached to Pune, with installation of new gates.
Bombay Governor Sydenham and the Indian
Army chief Lord Kitchener highly appreciated
the system at Khadakwasla when they made
a special visit to it. Similar valve gates were
Automatic Sluice Gate’s Patent Document
used in the Tigra reservoir at Bhopal and in
KR Sagar in Mysore.14

Sanitary Engineer to Presidency

In 1904, Sir [Link] was appointed a permanent Sanitary Engineer in
the Bombay Presidency. The water supply schemes of Karachi and Ahmedabad
were designed and executed by him.15
Similarly, water supplies to Dharwad from Dhumwad reservoir and to
Bijapur from Bhutnal Lake were also undertaken according to his plan and
supervision. The Kolhapur Maharaja also sought his help in improving the
drinking water setup at Kolhapur (1906).
Bhutnal Lake - Near Bijapura

14. Ibid., p.14-15.

15. Ibid., p.18.
234
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

Sir Colin Scott Moncrieff, Chairman of the Commission appointed by the

Government of India for Irrigated Agriculture, was stunned by the facts, details
and statistics provided by Sir [Link] during a long discussion that
went on for more than two days. Moncrieff personally came to witness the Block
System introduced by Sir [Link] at the Neera canal, accompanied by
all members who visited the region on boats. “The scheme proposed appears
to us very complete and well considered and it could be introduced in the
irrigation works of Deccan,” the Commission reported on the Block System.
In 1904, Sir [Link] was elected as a member to the Civil Engineer
Association of England. The following year, in 1905, he was appointed as the
Presidency Special Officer for Irrigation.
At the All India Irrigation Engineers’ Conference held in Shimla, Sir
[Link] presented four scholarly papers, all of which were printed later.
In 1907, he was not only the Sanitary Engineer of Bombay Presidency but was
also the Supervisor of three separate engineering branches of the Presidency.
He supervised the highways and his capacity to oversee various branches of
work simultaneously was a matter of surprise to many. His supervision was
nearly perfect. He was always in touch with local
revenue officers, the public and subordinates for
constant reports and updates.
Sir [Link] was one of the members
of the project to eradicate the slums of Bombay.
Dadabhai Naoroji was another member. Sir
[Link] was also appointed a member to
the committee appointed to revise the Engineering
curricula of Bombay University. In view of the
heavy pressure of his work, the authorities made
him a humble request to consider accepting the
membership of the committee constituted to draft
rules and regulations of the Bombay University. In
1904, he was offered a fellowship from the Bombay Dadabhai Naoroji
University.
In 1906, Sir [Link] was deputed to Aden, a port at the entrance of
the Mediterranean Sea which was a British outpost. The place had no natural
drinking water supply and instead used distilled sea water for drinking. With a
gallon of water costing Rs. three, it had become an expensive affair. The army
and others spent a whopping [Link] lakhs annually on drinking water. There
was a place, 18 miles away from Aden on the mainland, which belonged to a
Sultan where rain water flowed and disappeared underground from a point
70 miles away. Sir [Link] identified this water for harnessing and
also outlined a drainage system for Aden. For his well-thought ideas for the
strategic port, a grateful British Government honoured him with the ‘Kaiser-
e-Hind’ title.16

16. Ibid, p.20-21, VSN, p.39-41.

235
 Jewels of Administration

Superintending Engineer and resignation

Sir [Link] was appointed as the Superintending Engineer of
Bombay Presidency in 1907 and was also nominated member of the Health
Committee of Bombay city. He was further made a member to improve the
College of Science, where he suggested that it be called ‘Engineering College’
instead. In the same year, he sought voluntary retirement from Bombay
Service and intended to visit Europe, USA, Canada, Russia, etc. Though he
had secured promotion over 18 European engineers and many envied his
position, he knew that he would never be made the Chief Engineer since
the post was reserved only for Europeans. Also, he was required to serve for
at least 25 years to qualify for a pension and so far, he had served for 23.
However, Sir [Link] was an Indian with a strong sense of self respect.
The arrogance of the European officials and the envious temperament of his
Indian subordinates made him revolt silently. Governor Lord Sydenham, who
persuaded him in all earnestness to continue in service, finally got him a full
pension sanctioned. “His Excellency the Governor in Council considers that
the service rendered by Sir MV has been exceptionally meritorious and fully
entitles him to the additional pension.”17
Before retirement, Sir [Link] took leave and visited Italy, Denmark,
Holland, Russia, USA, Canada and London. While in Milan, Italy, he visited the
underground drainage much to the surprise of the local authorities because
he was keen on knowing all its technical details. From London, he went to New
York. The Indian industrialists there, who had formed an association of their
own, helped Sir [Link] visit Detroit where he studied the Ford Motor
factory for two months. He always took notes on whatever he saw. He also
visited Ottawa and Toronto.18
When Hyderabad city was completely devastated by heavy showers and
flood, Cassen Walker, a Finance Secretary in Hyderabad who had been asked
by the Nizam to fix an engineer to propose plans for saving the city from
recurring flood menace, got in touch with Sir [Link] while he was in
Milan, requesting him to undertake the work. He wrote back saying he would
return after five months.
The two rivers of Musi and Iyasi in Hyderabad had wreaked unprecedented
havoc on 26th and 27th September 1908. The destruction of life and property
in the city were boundless. Sir [Link] reached Hyderabad on 15 April
1909. He studied all reports, rain statistics, location and landscape of the city
in great detail and submitted a report in six months which contained a plan
to secure the city from floods. He planned strategic dams across the two rivers
and suitable drainage and canal systems. Experienced dam builder [Link]
was invited from Mysore. Only stone and surki (not cement) were used for
the dams. The dam across the Musi, which runs through the middle of the
city, was named Usman Sagar and it provided drinking water to the entire
city. The Musi’s tributary, Iyasi had another dam built over it and this was
17. Ibid, p.30; V.S.N., p.43-44.
18. V.S.N., p.49-50.
236
Sir M. Visvesvaraya

Usman Sagar - Hyderabad

Himayat Sagar - Hyderabad

237
 Jewels of Administration

named Himayat Sagar. The work was started in 1913 and Sir [Link]
supervised the work regularly even after joining the Mysore Service. Freed from
flood menace, provided with a good sanitation system, with planned avenues,
squares and parks, Hyderabad owes its modern setup to Sir [Link].
The Times of India (13th March 1913) hailed him as ‘one of the very ablest of
India’s engineers’ for undertaking the work.19
With these wide and varied experiences behind him, Sir [Link]
eventually went on to become the Chief Engineer and, later, the Dewan of
Mysore. By then, he had earned enough respect and prestige from the
Government of India.

Back to Mysore and as Dewan

On his return to India, Sir [Link] reached Bombay which was still
his official headquarters since he was on leave from his Bombay Presidency job.
There, a letter from Dewan [Link] Rao of Mysore awaited him, inviting
him to join the Mysore State Service as Chief Engineer after Hutchins who had
retired. Since Sir [Link] had already accepted to work for Hyderabad
city prior to that, he was not in a position to join Mysore service just then.
When Sir [Link] returned from Bombay, T Ananda Rao was the new
Dewan of Mysore. Since the Maharaja was very keen on securing the services
of Sir [Link] for Mysore State, he asked Dewan Ananda Rao to write
to him once again. Bernard Dave had been appointed as acting Chief Engineer
after Hutchin’s retirement.
The Dewan’s letter stated that Sir [Link] should rather think of
the opportunity to serve Mysore State than the service conditions offered by
the State. On 5th August 1909, Sir [Link] replied from Bombay: “I am
leaving for Pune tonight and hope to meet officials of Government there to find
out what has been done in the matter of the transfer of my service to Mysore.”
On receiving consent from his superiors from Bombay Presidency, he wrote to
Dewan Ananda Rao asking “whether there was any prospect of Government
encouraging industries and technical education in the state on a larger scale.”
The Maharaja’s consent was conveyed to him. On 15th November 1909, he
joined duty as Chief Engineer of Mysore State.20
Sir [Link]’s very entry into Mysore electrified the administration
and also enlightened citizens. His variegated ventures, successfully undertaken
with an innovative mind, and his foreign travel, mainly undertaken with a view
to gain experience from the various developmental activities and technical
and industrial progress in those lands, were bound to reflect on his policies
and actions in Mysore. Mysore’s advancement in education, progress of its
agriculture, irrigation, industry and transport facility, including the railways,
and its establishment as a modern advanced state was his dream and he
began planning for its realisation. The Mysore Economic Conference was a
19. Ibid, p.59-62.
20. V.S.N; p.68
238
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

programme he envisioned to inculcate enthusiasm in the people regarding the

State’s prosperity.

Address to Engineers
In his address to the Mysore engineers on 14th November, he stated,
“Compared to area and population of the state, we are responsible for a large
and efficient system of public works, developed and perfected by successive
British engineers. The prosperity of Mysore is practically what it is on account,
its public works, chiefly its irrigations and channels, both modern and
ancient.”
Creation of tanks for irrigation was a practice employed by all rural and
village communities since ancient times. The Gangas had created the Begur
tank near Bangalore and also the Araga tanks and two tanks at Manne, to
mention only a few among the thousands. The Chola tanks at Pattandur and
Bellandur are equally famous. Sulekere in Channagiri taluk is one of the
largest. Kautilya had said that a country can prosper only with irrigation. Sir
[Link] gave much importance to preserve and protect these tanks.
“We have splendid system of tanks in the country which is testimony alike to
the precarious supply fertilizing moisture and to the industry of the people,”
he said in the same speech. “There are nearly 29,000 tanks, large and small,
and 2,500 of these are what are called ‘major tanks’ which bring an annual
revenue of Rs. 300 each, from calculations made a few months ago, I found
that irrigation tanks represented a capital asset of over Rs Six Crores, an asset
which the present generation has inherited from its predecessors.”
Thus, surveying assets Mysore had inherited both in ancient and modern
times (including power production at the Cauvery), Sir [Link]
called on the engineers to give up slackness and get actively involved in the
development of the country. “Slackness is the worst curse of the country.
At first sight everybody seems to be taking active part in some common toil,
as a matter of fact, several persons are looking at a labour of one. As has
been cynically remarked, out of five people who seem to be working, one is
doing, one is rating, one is looking on and another is helping the previous
three. Everyone endeavours to escape his toll of toil.” (This was the remark on
Indian temperament by a Frenchman). He pointed out that the Public Works
Department was also not free from this taint of slackness. Most of the members
present were employees of the PWD. He said that their duty was always in
arrears and that they would have done only 75 percent of the work expected
of them at a point of time.
He also pointed out that since these were days of specialisation, (as most of
them were civil engineers), everyone must try to specialise in another branch
as well. Saying, “I trust the younger men of our service will choose early and
specialise in some subject or the other,” he promised the State’s help to such
people. He expressed his happiness at the fact that one of the employees sent
abroad for training had been offered a scholarship in aeronautics. “We cannot
239
 Jewels of Administration

afford to fall out of date either in our own information or methods.” He called
upon the members to “study the business methods of our European fellow
engineers, cultivate system, give strict attention to details, avoid both lack
of confidence and over confidence and rely on yourselves for your material
advancement. Remember, character is more important than cleverness.” He
was very keen on engineers to acquire their own diverse branches of technology
like electrical, mechanical, aeronautical, chemical and other branches without
relying on foreigners. That was what he himself had been doing.21 Taking
the engineering fraternity into confidence, Sir [Link] laid bare his
view of development, sincerity and commitment, and tried to develop a sense
of involvement, ownership and responsibility among the engineers on the
State’s progress. What he said to the engineers was also applicable to other
Government servants and the citizens at large.

Mysore Economic Conference

For three years before he became the Dewan, Sir [Link] worked
as Chief Engineer and also as the Secretary of the Railway Department. The
Mysore Economic Conference, consisting of top officials and non-officials,
was established in June 1911 at the urgings of Sir [Link] as Chief
Engineer. The Dewan of Mysore was its President.
Agriculture, Industry, Trade & Commerce and Education were its three
major branches. Committees were formed for each of these branches with
the concerned Council member as its Chairman. Units and branches of the
conference were opened all over the State and every taluk or every hobli was
to be informed about the State’s progress in various fields, with statistics
provided over development in various branches of public activity like land under
cultivation, irrigation, extent of various crops, revenues, forests, education,
etc., and an understanding of modern scientific and technical development in
each field given. The implementation of what was thought and the progress
achieved in various fields suggested his far-sightedness.
The aim was to invoke people as partners in the growth of the State and
inspire them and improve their lot. The Conference was held with the Dewan
as the President and the state committees and smaller assemblies were held
in every district, taluk or hobli. Whether as Chief Engineer or as Dewan later,
wherever he found the occasion to speak, Sir [Link] endeavoured to
convince the officers and the people at large about their involvement in the
State activities. He would quote the progress achieved by Japan which he had
visited in 1898. His wish was for Mysore to achieve such level of progress.
The Mysore Economic Conference continued during his Dewanship. Though
Sir [Link] believed in seeking the help of foreign experts, he did not
want this to the case always. In this regard, his attitude is likened to that of
Dewan Rangacharlu as already seen. Both of them had imbibed the Swadeshi
spirit in this regard. Every department in the factory was put under the charge
21. Speeches of Sir [Link], 1911, pp:1-14.
240
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

of local people. The confidence and faith Sir [Link] had in the locals
inspired them to work harder.22

Dam at Kannambadi
An important scheme drawn by Sir [Link] was the Cauvery
Irrigation Project at Kannambadi which created the Krishna Raja Sagar,
an amazing achievement by him. There was an agreement to supply power
regularly to the KGF gold mines, but in the absence of a uniform flow of water
in the Cauvery, the agreed quantum of power could not be supplied. The gold
miners suggested resorting to an alternative source. Sir [Link] took
this as a challenge. Having seen the Aswan Dam in Egypt, he thought of raising
a dam at Kannambadi so that it could be used to increase power production
similarly.
Kannambadi is the point of
confluence of the river Cauvery and its
two tributaries – the Hemavathi and the
Lakshmanteertha. Tipu Sultan had also
planned a dam at this point – there is a
Persian inscription to commemorate his
efforts.
Krishnaraja Sagar Dam under construction
Sir [Link] discussed the
matter with Chief Electrical Engineer Gibbs who negotiated with John Taylor
and Sons of KGF and finalised the dam’s blueprint in May 1911. The Dewan
agreed to the plan, but finance member JS Chakravarthy did not give his consent.
The Maharaja also did not favour the plan as it cost Rs. 253 lakhs which was
more than the State’s annual revenue of Rs. 223 lakhs. Sir [Link]
was highly disappointed. He was so upset that he even considered resigning.
Instead, he took leave and went on a tour to North India. Upon his return, he
attended his office duties in a routine manner. The Maharaja soon realised
the importance of the project and after holding a personal discussion with Sir
[Link], gave the green signal to the Project. Despite hurdles from all
directions, Sir [Link] got his project.23
The dam was however opposed by the Madras Government which felt
that construction of the dam would cause shortage of water to the fields. An
appeal to the Supreme Government resulted in appointment of an Arbitration
Committee which finally pronounced a decision in favour of the dam. The
Arbitration Committee pointed out that the total area irrigated in the Cauvery
valley in Mysore was 115,000 acres, as against the Madras Presidency’s share
of 12,25,500 acres, and Mysore’s share would be only eight percent if the
dam was completed. An agreement was signed in 1924. Sir [Link]
remembers with gratitude the support of Resident Hugh Daly and Viceroy
Hardinge in the matter.
22. Memoirs, pp:44-45; Gundappa, DV, Mysurina Divanarugalu (Kan.) p.134.
23. Ibid, p.46-50; V.S.N. pp:115-116.
241
 Jewels of Administration

The work on the dam began in November 1911 when Sir [Link]
was the Chief Engineer. The dam is 800 feet in length, with a 14.5 feet-wide
road atop it. It is the biggest storage of water in contemporary India and has
the capacity to store 48,370 cubic feet of water. Twenty five villages spanning
25,535 acres of land were submerged in the storage. The total cost of the dam
was Rs. 25 crores. Excavations for laying down the 111 feet-wide foundation,
were conducted till the hard rocky granite bed was reached and therefore,
the maximum height of the dam is 140 feet and its height is not uniform. The
maximum depth of the water stored is 124 feet. Average depth is 80 feet. The
owners of the submerged lands were paid compensation totalling Rs. 46.50
lakhs. Sir [Link] supervised the work daily. When the Representative
Assembly was in session, he would supervise the work in the evenings till late
into the night.
Arcot Ramaswamy Mudaliar who visited the site when the work was in
progress remarked: “The engineering personnel engaged in this work were an
inspired team and then I heard the proud boast that they could construct the
Dam under the guidance of Sir [Link] without foreign help either in
the way of materials, or much more important, in the way of foreign technical
personnel, British or otherwise.”
There are 163 valves and sluices to release water from the dam when it
is completely filled up so that the dam is not damaged, while sluices have
been fixed at varying heights, from 12 feet to 114 feet. The experiment by Sir
[Link] at the Khadakwasla Tank near Pune was used here, and 175
valve doors here were automatic which released the excess water. Of these,
136 automatic valve doors were manufactured at the Bhadravathi Iron Works.
One sluice has an underground tunnel which helps irrigate 3,500 acres of
land. Services of Afghan workmen were utilised to cut this tunnel across hard
rocky land.
Krishnaraja Sagara

242
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

No Cement used, Indigenous skill and Techniques utilised

No cement was used for the raising of the dam and indigenous techniques
were used. Lime, brick and sand were ground into smooth powder in appropriate
proportion by the local masons, and this was called surki. This process
consumed time and the dam work was delayed. However, Sir [Link]
was not willing to use cement since it had to be imported and was very costly.
He insisted on the use of indigenous material as far as possible and it suited
his temperament.24 Earlier, Sheshadri Iyer had also urged the use of similar
technique while raising the Mari Kanive Project (Vanivilas Sagar) in Chitradurga
District.
One has to keep in mind here that there was no modern equipment to break
into the rocks or lift heavy equipment and 10,000 people had to be engaged
at a time when the dam was being raised. Sir [Link]’s supervision
continued even when he became the Dewan, guiding the workers regularly.
They worked in the nights too with hundreds of Kitson lamps burning.

The Krishnaraja Sagar Dam

By June 1915, the dam was completed with a storage depth of 50 feet
and power began to be supplied to KGF regularly. Earlier, at Shivasamudra
from where power was being supplied, a sum of Rs. 50 lakhs had to be spent
annually to maintain the storage. This turned out to be a waste as it did not
serve other purposes like irrigation. The inflow of water in the Cauvery was not
uniform and between 1903 and 1914, power failed to be supplied regularly,
costing the government a fine of 38,000 Pound Sterling to the company as
per the contract. After this, the Shivasamudra received regular supply from
Krishna Raja Sagar for power production, increasing its production capacity
manifold. As already noted, the expansion of the canal system of the dam
continued for many years till 1931 when it was completed. Nearly 1,25,000
acres were irrigated in Mandya and Mysore districts by the reservoir. The
underground tunnel was 9,680 feet long, making it the longest underground
tunnel in those days. The Varuna Nala is also supplying water to Mysore
districts.
“John Taylor and Sons had initially thought of an alternative source of
power by hydel process since they had doubts about the completion of the dam
in 1915. But when the additional power was made available as per schedule,
they offered their salutations to the Maharaja,” says Sir [Link].
The KR Sagar project is a landmark in the history of irrigation, not only of
Mysore but also of India. It was an engineering feat achieved through indigenous
technical skill. The 10,000 families who were displaced due to their houses
being submerged were duly compensated by alternative land and monetary
benefits. In the deal, many of them got irrigated lands as against their previous
holdings in a dry belt. Nobody approached the court due to dissatisfaction.
The dam’s first stage was completed in 1915 when Sir [Link] was the
24. V.S.N., p.110.
243
 Jewels of Administration

Dewan and he took further interest in its completion as per the wishes of the
Maharaja, as expressed in a letter in 1924. In the long run, many factories
producing papers, acetate, fertilizers, alcohol etc. mushroomed along the canal
leading from Karighatta to Shimsha.
Sir [Link]’s next proposal was the expansion of the railways at a
cost of Rs. 94 lakhs, which was also not approved by the Government initially.
However, it was taken up during his Dewanship. The finance member was
not in favour of the KR Sagar project being taken up together with the railway
work, but he did lend his support to the railway projects. 25

As Dewan
In November 1912, Sir [Link] was appointed as Dewan of Mysore.
Many eyebrows were raised over the appointment since he was not from the civil
services, but was an engineer. Though he was very keen on the betterment of
the economic conditions of the State by encouraging industries and education,
Sir [Link] was not particular about occupying such a high position.
There was scope for encouraging both education and industry even when he
was the Chief Engineer. But the Maharaja insisted he accept the Dewanship,
Sir [Link] recalls in his Memoirs.
The reasons Sir [Link] attributed to the economic backwardness
of the State were: (1) low level of education, (2) lack of initiative, ambition
and power of organisation, (3) lack of capacity to plan among the leaders, and
(4) low economic condition and absence of any effort on a planned basis for
improvement and development.26
His prime objective was for people to work hard and earn well and for this
to happen, education, industry, commerce and public works departments had
to be developed. Soon, he drew the attention of the officers towards this. On
11th October 1913, he addressed the Representative Assembly. He clarified
that despite the failure of showers in the early days of the rainy season in
1912-13, there had been a favorable change later and the State revenue for
the year was Rs. 272.92 lakhs, wherein the expenditure was Rs. 248.68 lakhs
and the surplus Rs. 24.24 lakhs, and income from mining stood at Rs. 19.20
lakhs and from the Cauvery power scheme at Rs. 14.25 lakhs. He pointed
out that the favorable feature was the income from sandalwood, railways,
land revenues and excise contracts. “The last financial year may be said to be
prosperous. The transactions have, on the whole, resulted in a net addition of
Rs. 16.74 lakhs to the reserve which, including these additions, stood at Rs.
192.11 lakhs on 1st July 1913.”27
The budget estimate for the year 1913-14, framed on the expectation
of a normal year, provided for gross revenue of Rs 257.17 lakhs and gross
expenditure of Rs. 313.55 lakhs. This showed a deficit of Rs. 26.82 lakhs

25. Memoirs, p.45.

26. Ibid, p.56.
27. Speeches, p.96-97.
244
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

due to expenditure on important departments, i.e. Public Works, Education,

Agriculture and Industries. He spoke of efforts to increase the efficiency of
Comptroller of Accounts office to have a “stricter control” over expenditure.

All-round Progress
Minor details like extension of ragi, sugarcane and paddy cultivation and
raising cotton crop in Chitradurga area were all brought to the notice of
the Representatives. “Steps are being taken to publish a Taluk manual for
regulating the work of Taluk office,” he assured. Reports of steady progress in
the work of the forest department showed that the forests fetched a revenue of
Rs. 33.00 lakhs, including sale of sandalwood (Rs. 22.92 lakhs). In this regard,
Sir [Link] assured a scientific study of forest wealth to increase
income from the source.
Other highlights of the Dasara Assembly Speech on 11th October 1913
are cited here. “There has been a perceptible improvement in investigation
and detection of crime in Police Department.” The demands made at the
earlier Dasara Assemblies were being implemented to reorganise the Police
Department, and also to hike the pay of the staff. A special officer was appointed
to investigate the reasons for the depopulation of Malnad, and make practical
suggestions to eliminate the conditions.
“The work of the economic conference has been further developed and action
taken on the recommendations of the conference is separately described under
different departments concerned,” the address stated. The constitution of the
working of the conference had been consolidated. The proposed impositions on
income tax “to make the burden of taxation more equitable” were announced.
The Assembly was informed of the passage of a bill introducing compulsory
education in the Legislature Council. But income tax was not imposed.
The establishment of the Chamarajendra Technical Institute at Mysore
and a commercial and Mechanical Engineering School at Bangalore was also
announced. The Industrial school and Engineering School of Mysore were
incorporated into the former. “The main object of the Government in starting
these institutions is to create an incentive for manual work in the younger
generation and enable them in after life to earn their livelihood by some
independent profession,” the address clarified.
Appointment of Deputy Inspector General of Education, establishment of
the Department of Industries and Commerce (1913), granting takavi loans
(as in agriculture) to persons interested in starting industries and opening of
Agricultural School at Hebbal (1913), which became the nucleus of the later
Agricultural College and the UAS, were other actions reported. The number of
cooperative societies had increased from 208 to 343 during the previous year,
and membership of the societies had risen from 13,148 (in 1912) to 24,538
(in 1913), it stated. The Taluk Panchayat Regulation Rules had been framed
and were going to be implemented and the minor tank restoration scheme was
under consideration.
245
 Jewels of Administration

A Railway secretariat had been constituted and the Railway Construction

Department was engaged in (1) Mysore-Arasikere line, (2) line between Bangalore
and Hosur and (3) forest tramway from
Tarikere to Yedahalli (Narasimharajapura).
Sir [Link] also spoke of other
railway plans, one of which was the Hassan-
Mangalore line which was never implemented.
A comprehensive geological
map had been published.
A programme to help start
private printing presses
Railway Junction - Arasikere was also suggested. It was
Douglas who surveyed and constructed the railway line
from Mysore to Arsikere, 80 miles with three bridges. In
1913, [Link] Chetty was appointed as the non-official
President of Bangalore Municipal Council.
“The Government has embarked on an active railway policy. They are
desirous, if possible, of extending the railway line from Nanjangud in Mysore
district to join the South Indian Railways on one side or the other of the Nilgiris.”
The line to Nanjangud was undertaken but not beyond. An ‘Efficiency Audit’ to
provide frequent and more detailed inspection of Government apparatus was
announced to be instituted and later, Dewan N Madhava Rao became the first
to head it.
Sir [Link] was very keen on people’s participation in all of the
State’s efforts towards progress and he said, “Reasonable scope for the co-
operative effort of the people is provided for, however imperfectly it may be at
present, by the organisation known as economic conference.” Further, “The
organisation is intended to stimulate cooperative enterprise in the cities and
towns and gradually among the rural populations; since nine-tenths of the
people live in the villages, it appears to me that a special effort is necessary to
stimulate economic activity in rural areas.” In his Memoirs, Sir [Link]
speaks of his first address in 1913 as notable and a glimpse into his mind and
his idea for his future programme.
He wanted every village to have atleast one or two newspapers in publication,
a matter he gave much importance to. The Press Regulation promulgated in
1908 by Dewan V.P. Madhava Rao was slackened and many newspapers
began to get published. [Link] speaks of his request to start his
magazine, Karnataka, being immediately sanctioned, as it was for Saadhvi,
another popular paper in Mysore. Newspaper publication flourished in the
State after that. Sir [Link] was always for a free press. He regarded
dissemination of information as highly important. Whenever he received any
adverse or incorrect criticisms, he would arrange to respond to the same
right away and correct information provided and make efforts to clear any
misunderstandings. One of his friends, Sampige Venkataiah, an advocate,

246
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

wrote in support of Sir [Link]. If an editor deliberately made efforts to

present adverse or wrong facts, action could be taken against him by using the
bludgeon or as per existing local provisions. His earnest appeal to journalists
was that such an unfortunate occasion should not arise.

Impact of Non-Brahmin Movement

By then, inspired by the Non-Brahmin Movement in Madras, some non-
Brahmin leaders formed the Praja Mitra Mandali. In the Assembly, these
leaders severely criticised Sir [Link] for the problems at Bhadravati
iron factory which was described as a “white elephant”. One of the criticisms
stated that bright silver was being poured into the furnace to be converted into
black iron. Dewan Visvesvaraya however remained unperturbed and responded
to his critics with facts and statistics, all the while facing the criticisms with
a smile. He published pamphlets explaining that the problem persisting was
the fall in the price of pig iron in the international market and assured that
the factory would prove to be an asset in the long run. He added that for any
big factory to grow, it needed time. He later also argued that he had always
presented a surplus budget, and the Government had provided capital to the
iron factory which had made a profit of Rs. 2.75 crores during those years.
This he highlighted in a statement he published in 1928-29. [Link] Rao
was Comptroller of Finance and the Acting Finance Secretary at that time.

Development of the Railway

By 1911, a vigorous railway programme had been initiated when Sir
[Link] was the Chief Engineer and the State Railway Construction
Board was organised in 1912 under his supervision as the Secretary of the
Railway Department. The services of an expert, Bell, were borrowed from the
Supreme Government for the purpose. The Bangalore-Chikkaballapur railway
line was entrusted to a private company with Government guarantee. But
the company could not undertake the work
and it was resumed by the State after an
agreement with the Company. The section
from Chikkaballapur was completed in 1915,
and to help reach Bangalore quicker, a third
line between Yelahanka and Yeshwantpur
was started (and completed in 1918). The
Yelahanka-Devanahalli goods traffic was
begun in 1914. There were other lines Railway Station - Yelahanka
completed under the Dewanship of Sir [Link], viz. passenger traffic
between Devanahalli to Chikkaballapur, Yeshwantpur to Yelahanka passenger
traffic in 1917 and Yeshwantpur to Bangalore in 1918. All these programmes
were initiated by Sir [Link] when he was the Chief Engineer, even
though extension of the railways had stopped in 1910.28
28. Shama Rao, Modern Mysore, pp:216-62.
247
 Jewels of Administration

Sir [Link] was keen on the State having at least 1,000 miles of
railway for its economic growth. In 1911, the total length was 411 miles. By
1918, the length had been increased to 616 miles. When he became the Dewan,
income from the railways was Rs. 37.21 lakhs. By the end of his term (1918-
19), it stood at Rs. 53 lakhs. He had also wanted to acquire Bhatkal in North
Canara from the British and develop it as a port. But the Supreme Government
did not agree. Sir [Link] had great expectations for Mysore, a land-
locked state, acquiring a port and increasing its trade.

First World War

The economic progress that Sir [Link] had envisioned for
Mysore could not be fully realised because it was during his Dewanship that
the First World War broke out. The State had to pay Rs. 50 lakhs to the
British Government and also had to send its Mysore Regiment to fight on the
Mediterranean front. The Mysore Regiment consisted of 29 officers, 444 non-
commissioned officers, 526 horses, 49 mules and 132 followers, led under the
command of Regimentdar B Chamaraja Urs in October 1914. Fifteen draughters
of reinforcement aggregating three officers, 426 other ranks and 49 followers
were dispatched to field from time to time. The Mysore Transport Corps was
also mobilised for service in 1915. Six detachments of corps consisting of 12
officers, 321 ranks 49 followers with 210 carts, 468 bullocks and mules were
dispatched in 1916. Nine draughters, four officers 133 ranks and 37 followers
were sent subsequently. In addition, a Central Recruitment Committee
selected 5,000 men in the State. The Maharaja himself had contributed Rs.
Two lakhs.29

Industries
Nonetheless, despite murmurs from the Imperial Government that every
feasible source was to be spared for the war, Sir [Link] undertook
many industrial projects at a time when public enterprise was not in practice
in India and private capital was still too shy. Apart from the handicrafts
being practised hereditarily, the Binny Mills (1884), Mysore Spinning and
Manufacturing Co. (1894) and the Central Industrial Workshop (1897), the
last one run by the Government, there were no major modern or mechanised
industries in the State. The Imperial Tobacco Co. Ltd (1912) was founded by
the State’s full encouragement.
The Government had accepted the recommendation of the Mysore Economic
Conference and founded the Department of Industries and Commerce in 1913.
Its principal objectives were (1) to assist private industrialists with advice,
loan or in any other manner, to install mill, process, irrigation and dumping
plants, (2) to furnish, free of cost, estimates, schemes, perspectives, articles of
association etc. (3) experimental installation of industries and manufactures
at the cost of either Government or private individual, such as sugarcane
29. Ibid., 253-54.
248
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

plants, leather for wood furring, silk reeling etc. (4) to collect and maintain
correct statistics on industries and commerce for the State and important
trade centers etc., and establishment of a Central Industrial Depot.

Mysore Sandal Oil Factory - Mysore Government Soap Factory - Bengaluru

The Mysore Chrome Tanning Co. was already founded in 1908. The Mysore
Sandal Oil factory at Mysore (1915),30 the Government Soap Factory at
Bangalore (1918) and the Bhadravati Iron Works (Bhadravati) were the major
state enterprises started by Sir [Link].

Bhadravati Iron Works - Bhadravati

30. Ibid., p.272.

249
 Jewels of Administration

Iron ore was found in abundance in the Western Ghats. The State’s thick
forests could provide charcoal to be used as fuel in place of coal which was
more expensive. There was a river to supply water. During his visit to Sweden
and Germany, Sir [Link] had seen charcoal being used in the iron
units. He thought of making use of similar techniques and starting an iron
unit at Bhadravati in the Western Ghats which was then known as Benkipura
because of large number of iron furnaces run there by traditional blacksmiths.
He consulted the Chief Advisor of Jamshedpur Tata Iron and Steel, C.R. Perin,
and provided him with the necessary statistics, location and other details on
the possibility of starting an iron unit at Bhadravati. Perin gave him the green
signal. Sir Alfred Chaterton of the Madras Government also extended his
support to the proposal. The estimated cost of the erection of the unit was Rs.
63.50 lakhs. The Director of Geological Department considered the estimate
too low though he accepted the proposal. However, the general view was that
even if the cost exceeded the estimate, the unit would be an asset to the State,
helping its economic development.
A Council Member, Albion Banerji objected to the project and expressed his
doubts over the possibility of import of machinery during war time, and also
pointed out that it would be very difficult to preserve the forest wealth despite
all precautions being taken etc. (To the latter, Sir [Link] responded
by assuring that for every tree cut, two would be planted). Dr Smith’s advice
was that it could be run by private companies and that Government need not
start it. The Maharaja who initially did not support the project changed his
mind later and overruled these objections. He contended that though the cost
of the machinery would probably increase due to the war, the price of pig iron
had also increased due to the war and it could probably continue to increase
even after the war. The Government’s view was that it was a basic industry
which would play a key role in the State’s economic progress.
After long correspondence with M/s Tata Iron and Steel Works, the Tatas
were accepted as the managing agents in 1918. The British Government also
gave its approval. The aim was to produce 57 tonnes of pig iron and 200
tonnes of charcoal per day. As charcoal was a major necessity, the Mysore
Wood and Distillation Works was initiated in 1917. Though initial investment
was estimated at Rs. 63.69 lakhs, when the work actually started (1922), the
expenditure rose to Rs. 2.11 crores. Income from the factory was estimated at
10 -25 percent on the investment.
However, soon, adverse criticism against the venture began pouring in. Two
Europeans, Perin and Marshall who were appointed advisors to the factory,
started spending funds without securing prior permissions in the long run. To
make matters worse, the pig iron price in the market went on the decline. The
project was described as a bottomless pit of expenditure. Marshall suggested
that the factory be closed temporarily till the prices for the product increased
again. Many iron furnaces had been closed in England and USA because the
changed circumstances were quoted in support of the argument in favor of

250
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

the closure. The construction work ended in 1919; the condition to start the
furnace was fulfilled in 1923.31
The factory found itself at the receiving end of criticism in the Representative
Assembly. There was also severe criticism not only from the local papers, but
also from those in Bombay and Madras. Sambashiva Iyer, a retired High Court
Judge, wrote prolifically against Sir [Link] and the factory in the
newspapers. He later even met Mahatma Gandhi at the Nandi Hills in 1927
and handed him many papers against Sir [Link]. The Mahatma, on
his part, said he found it hard to believe Iyer’s allegations when the whole
community was praising him. When Gandhiji visited Bhadravati (1927), he
was full of praise for the gigantic venture undertaken upon an Indian initiative,
though he was not too happy about the use of machine technology.

Managing Bhadravati Iron Works

Amidst all these developments, the Maharaja asked Sir [Link], who
was not yet the Dewan then and was in
Bombay, to return to Mysore immediately.
Since starting the unit had been his idea,
he was expected to take the responsibility
and set things right. This was in early
1923. Sir [Link] did accept
the responsibility, but insisted on being
given full freedom to work. Perin reached
Bhadravati with 16 American experts and
in five months, when the furnace started Bhadravati Iron Works - Bhadravati
working, he left on 31st March 1923.32 Sir [Link] volunteered to be
the Chairman of the administrative board and brought about many radical
changes in the organisation. The arrangement with the Tatas was cancelled.
His tireless toil, direct interaction with the workers to inspire them and to
discern the problems of each wing, inculcating a sense of competitiveness
among the native workers over the Europeans etc. established the factory, a
success despite many hurdles including natural disasters.
Once, when the Tungabhadra flooded, the furnace had to be extinguished.
American executive officer Gudke speculated that it could take six months to
make it work again. Sir [Link] was furious for a number of reasons.
Gudke resigned and left for the US. Help sought from the Tatas did not come.
Sir [Link] appointed N Madhava Rao as General Manager. There
were no Europeans in the factory. Sir [Link] himself toiled with the
workers, at times by supervising their work personally and inspiring them to
get the furnace going again within three months.
The workers, on their part, toiled beyond their working hours and even
offered voluntary rollbacks in their salaries. By 1926, the factory had started
31. V.S.N., pp:128-131.
32.. Ibid, p.132; Memoirs pp:92-93.
251
 Jewels of Administration

functioning normally. A demand from the US for 5,000 tonnes of pig iron was
secured. In the period 1926-27, the factory was able to make a profit of Rs Two
lakhs as against the forecast of ‘experts’ that it would sustain a loss of Rs. 35
lakhs annually. Perin at the time remarked that Sir [Link] could flog
even a dead horse to life!
Sir [Link] was living in Bombay then. He would travel by train
from Bombay to Birur Station and from there, one of the factory vehicles took
him to Bhadravati. Despite the long tiring journey, upon reaching Bhadravati,
instead of going to his guesthouse, he would head straight to the factory even
at night, inspect the different branches or discuss the problems of workers in
detail. He thus came to know the problems of each unit personally and arrange
for their solutions right away. This further inspired the workers and made
them work harder than ever before, while problems got settled quickly and the
factory was able to function smoothly. Such was his way of administration.
The Southern Railways was an exclusive customer of Bhadravati iron.
Kirloskar Co. too bought it. However, only 81 percent of the cost could be
recovered. After the First World War, the price of pig iron was falling all over the
world. But encouraging young engineers to come and work at Bhadravati and
sending some more to be trained at Jamshedpur, the factory slowly improved
and proved to be an asset to the State.
Other factories started by Sir [Link] included the Mysore Sandal
Oil factory in 1915 and the Government Soap factory (Bangalore 1918). In
starting both ventures, the help of scientists from Indian Institute of Science
was sought. There were attempts by European countries which had specialised
in extracting sandal oil to create hurdles in the setting up of the Sandal Oil
factory. The Mysore Sandal Oil factory had an investment of Rs. 9.68 lakhs
and employed 170 people. Its products were distilled sandal oil (BP Quality)
and byproducts like quality oil turpentine etc. It became one of the biggest
distilleries in the world.
Many byproducts were exported, such as acetate lime to Japan and alcohol
to England. Agencies were opened for sale at Madras, Ahmedabad and Karachi
(1924). Bombay had a branch for direct sales and the firm had also been
granted land and other facilities in the days of Sir [Link].

Educational Progress
In the field of education, Sir [Link] laid a broader foundation for
Mysore State. He desired for at least 10 percent of the population to be literate
in the State. He relaxed the Press Regulation Act which saw the State boast
of 36 newspapers in various languages, including Urdu. He himself spoke of
the Vokkaligara Patrike, Saadhvi and Vrittanta Patrike in 1913. He maintained
transparency in administration and never harassed any journalist. He was not
worried about their being critical of him. If any criticism or adverse comments
or incorrect facts were published, he would immediately respond with the true
position on things. He was more concerned about people knowing about public
252
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

life, world affairs as well as policies and programmes of the State. Government
loans were extended for starting printing presses.
The number of schools, both private and Government, in 1910-11 were
4,267. Expenditure on education in that year was Rs. 18.79 lakhs, with
2,17,717 pupils of which 37,846 were girls. “One hundred adult night schools
have been sanctioned”, Sir [Link] stated addressing the Dasara
Assembly in 1915. There were 71 adult education schools in 1910-11 with
950 attending. In 1918, there were 2,284 adult education schools and adults
on roll were 41,804. Upper Secondary (High) Schools for Doddaballapur,
Holenarasipur and Tirthahalli and similar schools for girls at Tumkur and
Bangalore were also sanctioned in the same year. “Two ladies from the state
securing BA degree for the first time in the same year were announced with
pride.” A scheme for opening industrial schools at all district headquarter towns
and improving existing ones was under consideration of the Government, he
stated in the same address. “At least 8 to 10 boys should be under training in
our vocational schools from each taluk, which makes 600 for the whole state,”
the Dewan said in his address in 1916.
In 1917, there were 5,423 schools with 2,01,728 pupils. “Our State
expenditure on education has practically doubled with the past few years,”
the Dewan said in 1915. There was progress in female education and the
percentage of girls among the total pupil strength rose from 6.4 percent in
1911 to 14.2 percent in 1917. A women’s hostel was also started in Mysore.
In 1913, Sir [Link] started the Agricultural School at Hebbal. In
1917, there were 90 public libraries. A Board for awarding School Leaving
Certificate was constituted in 1912. A Mechanical Engineering school was
started in Bangalore in 1913, where evening classes were opened for employed
persons. In 1939, it was merged with the Engineering College which was
established in Bangalore in 1917 with Civil and Mechanical Engineering
branches. The Kannada Sahitya Parishat, a forum for Kannada writers, was
started in Bangalore in 1916 with all leading Kannada writers, including from
outside Mysore, began to actively participate in it. Men like [Link],
[Link], [Link], Basavappa Sastry and many writers
from outside Mysore were closely associated with it. Apart from promoting
the Kannada language and literature, such a forum also helped nurture
emotional integration even among Kannada intellectuals from far-off places
like Jamkhandi, Mudhol, Belgaum, Gulbarga, Bellary, Madikeri, Kasaragod
and Mangalore. It was an important step towards unification of Karnataka.

Mysore University
The founding of the Mysore University in 1916 was the most important
achievement in the field of education. Till then, the Central College in Bangalore
and the Maharaja’s College in Mysore which trained students up to graduation
were affiliated to the Madras University and the students had to appear for the
Madras University examinations.
253
 Jewels of Administration

Mysore University

Sir [Link] ardently felt that the complexities of modern civilisation

required guidance by an academic centre like a University. He was supported
in his idea by the Maharaja and the Resident, Hugh Daly. Subsequently, Prof.
Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy and Prof. Denham, Principal of Maharaja’s
College, were sent to England, Japan, Canada and Australia
to study the teaching pattern, curricula and organisation
of the Universities there. Based on their report, a proposal
to start a new University in Mysore State was sent to
the Supreme Government. Educational Secretary Sharp
reviewed the scheme and his suggestions were incorporated
into it.
The proposal was opposed by Madras University. So
did many leading men of Madras. However, Viceroy Lord
Hardinge was convinced of the benefits of the proposal.
Accordingly, as per Sharp’s review, the proposal was
modified and finally, on 1 July 1916, Mysore University
was founded. All of Sharp’s suggestion could not be
incorporated and the reasons for the same were given in the
draft prepared (Ibid p.71). In fact, the Supreme Government
Prof. Cattamanchi
had accepted the proposal and some of its suggestions
Ramalinga Reddy
had been incorporated. Also, the fact that Resident Daly
and Viceroy Hardinge supported the proposal strongly helped in its favour.
The Normal School at Mysore was later upgraded as college and affiliated
254
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

to the University. The Dewan promised to start a Publication Bureau “with

view to encourage preparation of books of modern interest and the translation
of scientific treaties into the vernacular, and started a University Extension
Bureau with a view to carry on work similar to that undertaken by newer
Universities in England and America.”33
The hurdles Sir [Link] faced were tremendous,
but he prevailed over them and the outcome was a solid
gain to Mysore State. [Link] became the first
Vice-Chancellor of the University. Great scholars like
Prof. Brajendranath Seal, Radha Kumud Mukherje,
[Link], [Link], [Link], C.R. (Cattamanchi
Ramalinga) Reddy, [Link], [Link] etc.
comprised the galaxy of illustrious scholars who taught at
the University, in addition to many European scholars. So
was the case for the Central College which was the centre H.V. Nanjundiah
for science teaching and research. Sir [Link] was connected with it.
In the field of education, Sir [Link] was not only particular about
technical education and the then common civil engineering and electrical
branches, but was also keen on vocational subjects such as management of
machine rooms, textile engineering, colour technology, handling gas cylinders,
designing machines, chemical engineering, dying, printing of fabrics, tanning,
soap technology, study of the use of chemicals in the production of iron and
steel, distillation of oil from wood, paper technology, production of chemicals
and a variety of other branches of study. His initiatives in starting industrial
schools, establishing the Jayachamarajendra Occupational Institute and
trying to start new faculties in the Indian Institute of Science were all in view
of this broad vision.
He believed a worker ought to increase his skill so he could earn more.
Foreigners should not be engaged to run our factories and plants. Local people
must improve their efficiency and capacity even if they work under foreigners,
were his views.
“A constant watch should be maintained on foreign periodicals and catalogues
in order to be able to select and order out the best books, periodicals and other
publications from time to time. It is this way that the Association that will
come to possess the latest information and literature pertaining to activities
in foreign countries in all branches of engineering in which we are interested,”
Sir [Link] advised the Mysore engineers in 1912. He himself had
been collecting year books, statistical abstracts and technical documents
and publications from various industrial countries like Sweden, Switzerland,
Canada and Australia and would pore over them for up-to-date knowledge on
their growth and their technical advance.
In his address to the Central College students in 1912, he said the advanced
countries “think and act in conformity with economic necessities, we expect
33. Mysore Administrative Papers, State Archives, [Link], p.72; Shama Rao, pp:277-78.
255
 Jewels of Administration

to prosper without acquiring the scientific precision, the inventive faculty, the
thoroughness, the discipline and restraints of modern civilization.” He further
added that the University could impart technical and commercial education
especially to the younger generation of those days.
Such words of advice could be easily tendered by any modern leader too,
but here they were coming from a man who was famed for preaching what he
practised. People knew his unique and impressive track record of service and
so his words held better weight and impact than any other orator’s. He was
also someone who had the power and authority to implement his suggestions
if taken seriously by those who heard him. [Link] Rao has written a
long chapter about his religious and social attitudes in the chapter Samajika
Hitachintane (Social Welfare Thoughts).34

Sericulture
There were many minor industries too which received Sir [Link]’s
attention. Sericulture was a labour-intensive industry which provided jobs to
thousands of peasants who raised mulberry crop and reared silk worms, and
to a large numbers of reelers. Though introduced by Tipu who invited Bengali
experts to Mysore, the mulberry crop cultivation did not withstand diseases,
particularly one called ‘atrophy’. During the end of the 19th century, silk
worms were affected by a serious disease – ‘perbine’. It affected the industry in
Kashmir very seriously, but the field in Bengal and Mysore were saved despite
many hurdles. The Tata Silk Farm founded in the days of Dewan Sheshadri
Iyer in Bangalore in 1896 helped in its revival. Sir [Link] revived the
sericulture industry in Mysore State with the help of Italian and Japanese
experts.
The Mysore Economic Conference in 1911 considered reviving the silk
industry, and since it had been a part of the Agriculture Committee, a separate
Department of Sericulture was founded in 1913-14. An Italian expert, Signor
Washington Mari was invited by Sir [Link] on the advice of the
Italian Consul-General in Bombay, and he toured Mysore to guide the revival
of sericulture. Mari suggested the sending of cocoons to Italy, after chemically
treating them, and bringing them back after reeling. The idea did not help
employ Mysore workers, and was rejected. Chauki rearing was introduced at
Kyalanur in Kolar District where it was a success (1913). A silk farm was
founded at Channapatna in 1914 from where disease-free silk worm seeds
imported from Italy and cocoons were given a trial by hot-air drying. The trial
succeeded and they could be reeled. Twelve races of worms were imported.
Chauki rearing was also well developed in 1915. Training was provided to
local reelers by opening farms in various centers. Trainees were paid monthly
stipends. Navaratna Rama Rao who was the officer in charge helped in evolving
new instruments and equipment. Sericulture was revived widely. Mulberry
cultivation increased from 9,384 acres in 1915 to 14,693 acres in 1916.
34. V.S.n., pp:83-94.
256
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

Sericulture Farms were also started at Shidlaghatta, T Narasipur, Kunigal,

Timmasandra, Devanahalli and many other places and a Central School was
started at Mysore to train sericulturists. By 1917, 35 percent of the total seed
requirements of the State were disease-free. Yonamura, a Japanese expert,
also helped train people by conducting experiments.35 In 1919, at the Dasara
Exhibition, the Mysore sericulture stall was a prominent one. Yonamura also
helped in crossing Indian female worms with exotic male worms to strengthen
worm rearing. Mysore silk retained its reputation. Its high quality saw it being
used in parachutes during the Second World War, when the industry saw a
boom.

Agriculture
Sir [Link] never neglected agriculture while talking of developing
industries. He knew that the age-old occupation in the villages could not
be changed, and more importantly, food security depended on a flourishing
agriculture. Of the Economic Conference’s three committees, one was on
agriculture. But his great concern was the practice of outdated methods of
cultivation by villagers, and as a result, they and their fields idled for nearly
six months in a year without any production and thus, they could never earn
enough to lead a comfortable life. “Seventy-two percent of the population
of Mysore depends on agriculture… for nearly six months in a year on an
average, the ordinary Mysore cultivator had no regular occupation,” the Dewan
expounded on the problem in 1913. Out of the six million acres of cultivated
land, less than one million was irrigated.
Sir [Link] had outlined plans to improve tanks to provide better
irrigation and his KR Sagar project provided water to 1.25 lakh acres of land
when completed in 1931. He was aware that crops from irrigated land fetched
double the price than crops from dry lands. He knew that during drought or
famine, farmers had to go hungry and he also knew that people had to eat the
root of the flax plant when food was scarce. All this brought no credit to the
Government, he felt. “No cultivator’s family should be without a subsidiary
occupation to provide the members with means of livelihood when agricultural
operations are slack or are stopped during scarcity or famine,” he said at one
of his lectures.
To help the farmers diversify their activity, horticulture, animal husbandry
and other activities were stressed upon. A separate section headed by a
Director to look after Horticulture and Parks was set up in the Department of
Agriculture. Training people in modern and scientific methods of gardening and
raising vegetables, fruits and flowers and introducing new exotic varieties of
vegetables, distribution of seeds, popularising the growing of profitable plants
etc. were undertaken with a new and energised zeal. Demonstrative lectures
under the Economic Conference programmes were held over these matters.
The Director of the said section had to not only take care of the Lalbagh and
35. Shama Rao, p.274;
257
 Jewels of Administration

Cubbon Park but also conduct experiments and research in horticulture. The
Director also had to supervise the maintenance of the Park on the Nandi Hills.
A Government nursery and botanical garden at Lalbagh was arranged with a
library attached to it. Orange, grapes and lemon from Australia were imported
and experiment on their raising was started at the Sunakal farm. Decorative
plants and trees were reared at the Chamundi Hill, Gopalaswamy Betta and
at Nandi Hills. The School of Horticulture at Bangalore was revived in 1917.
Useful fruit trees and plants were distributed to Village Panchayats. Anybody
interested in raising commercial gardens was provided with attractive subsidies
and loans. A loan to the tune of Rs. 3,000 was extended at an interest rate 5
percent. This was to be repaid in 10 installments after three years. Provision
was made to grant land at low prices to those who wished to raise estates
of coffee, tea and orange, especially in Malnad District. Thus, horticulture
received a huge fillip by the efforts of the new Directorate.
The starting of the Agricultural School at Hebbal (1913) deserves worthy
mention here. 36 While various Government farms to help, guide and train
peasants had existed for long even before, whether they had been of any real
use to farmers was doubtful, Sir [Link] once said. The revenue officers
were instructed to visit the Hebbal farm and get educated on the new crops
and plants. They were to disseminate the information to their villages. The
District meetings of the Economic Conference held demonstrations on modern
methods of extracting sugarcane juice, manufacturing jaggery with improved
methods, use of pesticide and fertilisers. Lectures and awareness programmes
to enlighten the farmers on new methods and crops were to be held at Jatras,
Jamabandhi gatherings and shandys. An exhibition on the raising of coconut
tress was held at Tiptur in 1916. A second Agricultural Conference was held in
Bangalore in 1916. To popularise modern farm implements, exhibitions were
held at Holenarasipur and Nanjangud.
The earlier method of classification of forests as District forests and State
forests was relaxed in 1915 and village forests were created to help peasants
make better use of forests, products like firewood, polls for fencing, wood for
implements and leaves and fodder. The villagers were required to take care
of them so that the forests were not depleted. In 1917, a total of 57 such
village forests were created. Two sandalwood oil factories were founded, as
already mentioned earlier and special efforts were made to start forest-based
industries like match, pulp, paper, pencil, furniture etc. In 1912-13, income
from the forests was Rs. 60 lakhs of which Rs. 33 lakhs were from sandalwood.
A tramway from Tarikere to Yadehalli (Narasimharajapur) had been laid to
supply sleepers to the railways and also transport wood logs etc.

Animal Husbandry
Animal husbandry is a main and important aspect to farming. Bullocks
plough the land and cattle provide manure. The cattle also provide dairy
36. Ibid, p.275.
258
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

products, while goats, sheep and fowls provide meat. A dairy farm founded in
1907 was functioning at Hebbal under the Animal Husbandry Department.
Navaratna Rama Rao also paid special attention to develop sheep rearing
together with developing sericulture. ‘Merino’s’ and ‘Dumra’, special varieties of
exotic sheep were introduced with the help of an expert called Dr. Coleman. A
separate branch with Davison as the head was started to develop cattle wealth.
The number of veterinary hospitals rose to 12 and dispensaries to 18 in 1918
as against just three such hospitals in 1912. Eight mobile clinics were also
started to immunise cattle from diseases. An inspector each for two Taluks in
the State was appointed to supervise animal
husbandry and guide the farmers.
Old canals like the Hemagiri Canal in
Mysore District, Mandagiri, right bank of the
Chamaraja Canal, the Hemavati’s Ramadeva
Canal and the Vithalapura Canal of the Cauvery
were among those which were repaired and
broadened. The old Madhavamantri Anecut
between Talakad and Hemmige of the Cauvery
which had been badly damaged by heavy floods in 1902 was also repaired.
Construction of a small dam across the Bhadra near Gopal in Shimoga District
at an estimated cost of Rs. 8.50 lakhs was undertaken in 1918. Over 100 tanks
were repaired at an average cost of Rs. 2,500. A programme to repair small
tanks was also taken up in 1914. There was popular participation in these
works from the village committees. Mysore State topped on tank irrigation and
Sir [Link] spoke about the abundance of tanks (29,000) in the State
and the need for their development in his address to engineers in 1912. 37

Malnad Improvement
Sir [Link] also launched the Malnad Improvement Scheme. The
causes for high death rate in the region had worried him. His concern was that
this fertile area with abundant water source should not suffer due to lack of
manpower. Malnad was being afflicted by contagious diseases like malaria. He
toured the area in 1913 and spoke of populous towns that had existed in the
region centuries ago, expressing regret at their ruination. The same year, he
deputed K Mathen, the Deputy Commission of Shimoga District, to study the
problems of the region and Mathen submitted his report in August. Excessive
alcoholism, death at child birth and very poor sanitation were reported as
the main causes of the high death rate in the region. He also suggested
improvement of transport facilities.
The Malnad Improvement Scheme was launched in 1914. Midwives
were appointed to hospitals. Maintaining personal cleanliness and hygiene,
supplying of potable water, maintaining clean domestic premises clean etc.
were programmes propagated under the scheme and funds were provided for
37. Ibid
259
 Jewels of Administration

them. In order to eradicate malaria, vaccinators, compounders and nurses

were appointed and more than 100 villages were provided with drainage
facilities to check mosquito breeding in stagnant waters. Itinerary doctors
were also appointed. To propagate the programmes, pamphlets were printed
and teachers were urged to undertake the propaganda and those who did take
up the work were paid Rs Two per month over and above their salary of Rs12
as an incentive.38
Every district had a Malnad Improvement Committee headed by the Deputy
Commissioner and there was a central committee at Shimoga to co-ordinate
the work of the three districts, namely Shimoga, Hassan and Chikamagalur.
Every district was appointed a Sanitary Officer in 1917. Some Taluks of Mysore
District were added to Shimoga District for the purpose. Local Fund Hospitals
were opened at Belur, Balehonnur, Aldur, Attigundi, Santaveri and Lakkavalli.
As the health situation improved, labourers started to emigrate to Malnad to
work in the gardens and later at the factories founded at Bhadravati.
Special efforts were made to educate people about the problems of the region
with the co-operation of Vokkaligara Sangha, as pointed out by Jayappa Gauda.
Coffee cultivation in Malnad had dwindled due to various diseases. Takavi
loans were extended to coffee planters and Government land was sanctioned
to expand the plantation areas. Tax exemption extended to areca (betelnut)
growers in 1907 was continued. An Industrial Training School at Chikamagalur
was also started. The road network and connectivity was improved and their
maintenance was assigned to local boards. More educational institutions were
started at Hassan and Shimoga.
The Malnad Improvement Scheme continued till 1921, and was then given up
due to financial constraints, points out Jayappa Gauda (p.208). Nonetheless,
the scheme created a popular awakening in Malnad over its problems.

Village Improvement
Sir [Link] was disgusted by the sloth, insanitary conditions
and superstitions that existed in the rural areas. Unemployment and lack
of education were found to be the main reasons for these. In this regard,
he launched the Village Improvement Scheme in 1914. “The village forms a
convenient unit for purposes of economic effort, for taking stock of progress at
the beginning and end of the year. If each village shows a little improvement,
from year to year, the collective result will be large,” Sir [Link] said
in his first address to the Representative Assembly in 1913.
Every village with a population of more than 300 was to have a Village
Committee. If the villages were small (hamlets), then one Committee could be
formed for six hamlets. These Committees were to have three to five members
were to be selected according to the Regulations V of 1902. The village officials
were barred from being members of these committees who were to be elected
or selected annually. The Committee was to urge the people to participate
38. V.S.N., p.101; Shama Rao, pp:275-76.
260
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

in the village’s sanitation improvement work, laying of roads, repairing or

desilting tanks, developing village forests and also in the raising of village
office (chavadi) and school buildings. Every Monday, people were to contribute
labour for any common programme for half a day – the modern concept being
shramadaan. The Committee was also to create a village fund and deposit
the money in savings banks. Collecting facts and figures and helping the
village development was also their job. Such information was to be tabulated
and sent to the Tahsildar annually before July 15th. The village’s educational
programme, agriculture (extent of land tilled, crop raised, etc), industries,
trade, roads, irrigation, health condition etc. were to be entered into this table.
Thus, an initiative was provided to the Village Committee to work proactively
for the village development. The table helped the administration decide future
course of action. Since the village Panchayats had their own routine statutory
work, the village committees were entrusted with the responsibility of thinking
and planning for the village’s future and development. Sir [Link]’s
expectation was to create social consciousness and organize and mobilise the
community through these committees. He saw to it that articles were published
in leading newspapers to guide them and inspire them.
In 1914-15, there were 7,740 village
committees and work worth Rs. 1.25 lakhs
was produced. By 1917-18, there were
8,820 committees covering 94 percent of the
State’s area. Prizes were awarded to the best
functioning village committees and successful
leaders of the movement were honoured.
A drinking water well programme for each
village was initiated. To ensure progress under Traditional Well
the rural water supply scheme, the purchase of a set of boring tools and
employment of special staff were sanctioned for each district.
Sir [Link] praised the success of the scheme in Chitradurga district.
People were enthusiastic. School buildings, village officers (chavadi), roads
and wells had been created in many places by local initiative. Even the meagre
funds allotted for the work were at times not spent. However, the enthusiasm
ran out in the long run since there was a lack of sustained co-ordination in
the villages and rivalry between the village Panchayats, village officials and
the village committees which often cropped up was damaging. Nonetheless,
the idea did sustain to a large extent and attempted to be revived in free India
under the Block Development Programmes in the Five Year Plans.

Home Industry and Tourism

In 1914-15, Dewan Visvesvaraya commissioned T Hanumanta Rao, Assistant
Secretary Dasara Exhibition, to give a fillip to home industries, especially in
Bangalore. Promotion of rattan work, book binding, ink making, dyeing, dress
making (tailoring), button-making etc. through their being taught in schools
261
 Jewels of Administration

and at hostels were recommended

and sales rooms and stores to
supply the raw material like rattan
were proposed. The Mahila Seva
Samaj and the Sharada Stree
Samaj of Bangalore took to dress
making in earnest and trained
scores of women in tailoring. The
institutions were granted Rs. 500
for each venture.39 Widowed at a
young age, Reformer Kamalamma
Mahila Seva Samaj -Bengaluru Dasappa worked for progress
of Indian women and established “Mahila Seva Samaj”
in Bangalore for betterment of women. Later, free supply
of sewing machines was also resorted to. This is being
continued even today by the Municipal Corporation. Such
developments back then enabled Bangalore to grow as a
centre of apparel industry in the long run, and thousands
of women are engaged in the vocation till today.
Kamalamma Dasappa With a view to promote tourism and help visiting
merchants, Sir [Link] promoted hotel industry in Mysore and
Bangalore from 1916. An interest free advance of Rs. 2,000, a building rent at
the rate of Rs. 100 per month for two years, and a further advance of Rs. 1,000
at the rate of 6.5 percent interest repayable after two years, were the highly
attractive incentives provided for ‘high class’ hotels to be started. Of the many
hotels so founded was the Modern Hindu Hotel at Bangalore which founded a
branch in Mysore as well. Four more hotels were started in Mysore.40
Just as he had taken the initiative
to start the Deccan Club in Pune,
Sir [Link] encouraged the
setting up of the Bangalore Century
Club in 1917 of which he became a
member, as well as the Ladies Club
(1916) in Bangalore. This was for
recreation of the people who could
also network with each other which
would in turn help them in trade
and business. The Cosmopolitan
Bangalore Century Club - Bangalore
Club of Mysore was granted a site
free of charge.
He also urged the development of the Nandi Hills and other such popular
centers to promote tourism. The park at the Nandi Hills was developed and
lodges were raised for visiting tourists. Another place was Devarayana Durga.
39. Karnataka Gazetteer, Bangalore Dist., p.308.
40. Ibid, p.326; VSN, 91-92.
262
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

Similar attention was paid to Kemmannagundi, later called Krishnarajendra

Hill Station, after the visit of the Maharaja to the place. Roads to these tourist
hot spots were developed. Shelter for visitors at Belur, Jog and Chikkaballapur
were created. Soon roads were laid fit for four-wheeler traffic though bullock
carts and horse carriages were still the main means of transport then.
Kallattagiri and Mallayanagiri were also chosen to be developed as hill
resorts.41 Sir [Link] paid special attention to increase road mileage in
the State – if the road length in the State was 3,473 miles in 1912, it increased
to 5,234 miles in 1918. After his introduction of the Village Development
Scheme, villages created or improved their roads and connectivity between
villages improved substantially. Roads between KR Sagar and Mysore, Kadur
and Balehonnur to Magundi Anantpur and Shikaripur, Chikamagalur and
Tarikere, Chamundi Hill and Mysore and Mysore and Gopalaswamy Betta were
listed by C Hayavadana Rao as prominent roads
that were developed during Sir [Link]’s
Dewanship.
Motor Vehicles Regulation was issued in 1913,
making it compulsory for automobiles from the
State to be registered. Of the bridges constructed
during Sir [Link]’s Dewanship, the
one near Honnali and the three bridges on the
Tirthahalli-Hulikal Ghat road are notable. Tirthahalli-Hulikal Ghat Road
Public Libraries were started at Bangalore (at the present Sheshadri
Memorial Library) and at Mysore. Rural and mobile libraries were initiated.
H.V.R Athre has pointed out that 98
libraries were started in 1917.42
Sir [Link] was paid
Rs. Two lakhs as remuneration for
his services in the Bhadravati Iron
Works, a work spanning for six and
a half years, which he donated to
set up the Jayachamaraja Wodeyar
Jayachamaraja Wodeyar Polytechnic - Bengaluru Occupational Institute (1943) in
Bangalore where training was imparted in various occupations, numbering
15, with modern tools and techniques and which equipped the students to
work as foremen in factories. Today, it is called a ‘polytechnic’.43
He also extended all help to start the Indian Institute of Science in 1909
when he was the Chief Engineer, and he was the Chairman of its Court
from the beginning till 1947. It was at his initiative that faculties like Power
Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Aeronautic Engineering and Internal
Combustion Engineering were started in the Institute. The Institute’s researches
were of great help in starting sandal oil, sugar and other industries in the
41. VSN, p.93.
42. Athre, H.V.R., New Book on Bharatha Rathna [Link]’s Biography, 1983, p.62.
43. Ibid, p.63-64.
263
 Jewels of Administration

State. Sir [Link]’s earnest wish was that research at the Institute
should not always be purely theoretical, but must help improve industry and
production.
Drinking water supply to Bangalore had been initiated by Dewan Sheshadri
Iyer in 1896 from Hesaraghatta. In 1922, the Hesaraghatta Reservoir dried
up and additional sources had to be thought of. In 1926, a Committee was
constituted and Sir [Link] was requested to chair the Committee.
The Thippagondanahalli reservoir across the Arkavati was created by the
Committee’s recommendations, and was inaugurated in March 1933. 44
When the State Bank of Mysore was started in 1913,45 the Government
transferred Rs. Five lakhs as deposit and another Rs. Five lakhs as working
capital at the rate of three percent interest. By July 1915, deposits from
the public amounted to Rs. 20.32 lakhs. The war had made private money
lenders tight-fisted, but the Bank helped traders and industrialists. Banker
Vithaldas Thackersay, a great industrialist from Bombay, was the advisor to
Sir [Link] in the matter.
Savings banks (SB) were started in 1915 in villages and the schools and
Government offices were also urged to start similar SB units. In 1916, the
towns too came to have such banks. Statutory support was given to these
banks by a Regulation of 1917 and they were brought under the orbit of Joint
Stock Companies.
In 1915, an order was issued that there should not be any restriction based
on caste or creed for the entry of children to public schools. Later in 1918,
an order was issued that hospitals, schools and courts are public places and
should not bar people from entry on account of caste or creed. This was an
effort to eradicate untouchability. Separate schools for the ‘untouchables’
(Panchamas) had been founded as the Panchamas were afraid of attending
regular schools. There were 67 such Government schools for them in 1910
and also 37 aided schools. In 1915, the number of Government Panchama
Schools rose to 171, aided ones to 108 and unaided ones to 88.
When the Mysore Chamber of Commerce was inaugurated on 8 May 1916,
more than 500 members were present. WC Rose was its first President.46 In
1917, a group of industrialists and traders were sent to Japan to study the
commercial practices in Japan, and if possible, scout markets for Mysore’s
products there. Such visitors were granted cash subsidy for the purpose.

Development of Urban Centers

Sir [Link] wanted towns to have separate industrial areas and
residential wards and for every town to have libraries and parks. In 1913,
under the Charimanship of KP Puttana Chetty, the first non-official President
of the Municipality, the Bangalore Development Committee was formed. Roads,
44. Memoirs, p.97.
45. Karnataka Gazetter (KG) Vol.I p.356; Shama Rao, 271-72.
46.. Ibid; Shama Rao, p.272.
264
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

Mythic Society - Bengaluru

sanitation and other facilities were improved everywhere. Sir [Link]

personally visited some of the extensions to inspect the works.
Encouragement was given to the homeless by paying them half the cost of
the house as a loan to be returned in 48 instalments with 3 percent interest.
Land was granted free to the Mythic Society and also partial grant to raise
the Daly Memorial Hall in memoriam of the British Resident. A sum of Rs. 31
lakhs was granted to improve the Water
Supply System from Hesaraghatta and
electricity was provided for pumping
water.
The New Palace at Mysore was
completed in 1912. A special grant
of Rs. 1.6 lakhs was released for the
Sheshadri Memorial Town Hall. Many
guesthouses were constructed in
Mysore Palace
Mysore. New extensions were created. Industrial town was created by acquiring
215 acres of land. The Vanivilas Water Supply project was further developed
by a grant of Rs. Eight lakhs. A sum of Rs. 5 lakhs was sanctioned to extend
a loan of Rs. 200-600 at Three percent interest to the middle-class families for
building houses.
The Kolar Gold Fields, Davangere and Bhadravati were provided with the
facilities to grow as industrial towns. More industries were started at Bhadravati
later as a result of this. Drinking water facilities were provided to Chitradurga,
Harihara, Chikamagalur, Kolar, Chintamani, Nanjangud and other towns.
265
 Jewels of Administration

Plans to improve other towns in the state were prepared by the municipalities
during this period, and the municipalities were given more power by the Act
of 1918. Municipalities started by an Executive order called ‘Non-Regulative
Municipalities’ were converted to ‘Regulation Municipalities’. Municipalities
were classified as city, town and minor ones. The City Councils were to have an
elected majority. Others were to have more elected members. Education was
to be gradually transferred to them. There was to be less interference in their
functioning by the State and the Deputy Commissioner. Taluk Boards and
Village Panchayats were also created. District Boards were to control ferries
and roads. Local funds were transferred to District Boards. “The effect of these
changes so far as municipalities were concerned was to increase largely the
popular character of the Councils and power they could exercise in given area,”
says Hayavadana Rao. 47 Sir [Link]’s ideas of popular participation is
reflected in the Municipal Regulation V of 1918.
In 1917, Sir [Link] sanctioned a sum of Rs. One lakh annually for
scholarships to the Panchama students. No detail of activity escaped the Dewan’s
mind. He felt that there had to be progress in every possible field of economic
and social activity, else some sections of people or some regions will suffer and
get left behind and the State would fail in its function. He did whatever he could
for Mysore when called upon, even after his retirement as Dewan, as already
seen. So he did for the country too. “Under Dewan Sir [Link], such
a programme, which in fact aimed at a total transformation of the economic
structure, was developed,” says Bjorn Hettne.48

Administration: Methods and Change

Sir [Link] was a strict disciplinarian. He was always working hard
and expected his subordinates and officials to work in the same spirit. Sir
CP Ramaswamy Iyer says, “By temperament and training, Sir [Link]
had been fiercely energetic in output of work and he could not tolerate
slackness”49 He also adds, “At a time when deficit financing was severely
discountenanced, he made the remarkable pronouncement that greater the
spending capacity of a country, the more progressive will be its character.”50
Sir [Link] would not attend any programme or meetings late, and did
not tolerate dilatoriness of others as well. He expected visitors to stick to the
time assigned for appointments. He would also keep a pencil and a note book
with him wherever he went and took notes of his impressions and ideas over
future action. All such notes were suitably recorded in a book reserved for the
purpose. He never wanted to rely solely on his memory power. When he sent
word to a subordinate person to meet him, and he came empty-handed, the
Dewan would ask him whether he had come to attend a dinner! Noted Kannada
writer Masti Venkatesha Iyengar who was working in his office once asked
47. Mysore Gazetteer, p.3041.
48. Hettne, p.253.
49. Madhav Rao, N. (Ed.) “MV” p.36 (Hence forward “MV”)
50. Ibid.
266
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

why the workman had come without his tools under a similar situation. The
subordinate was always to come well prepared, noting down his instructions
immediately. Sir [Link] tolerated no inertia or negligence. He
expected all instructions to be seriously taken note of and executed as quickly
as possible. Even while on tour abroad, he always carried pencils and papers
with him to note down whatever he felt worth noting. He would visit any place,
like the inside of the drainage in Milan (Italy), or meet the smallest ranked-
person engaged in a particular job in which the Dewan was interested. During
his visit to factories in Europe and America, he held discussions not only with
top executives but also with lower level supervisors and labourers.

The Mind-set
Sir [Link] felt that an officer ought to sit together with knowledgeable
public and discuss public issues and find solutions with them, instead of
being exclusive from the public as was the general practice. The method of
working in committees was not known to our officers. If an officer tried to be
exclusive, he would not know the public mind and the core of issues or the
different perspectives. Sir [Link] also wanted officials to consult each
other and work with mutual co-operation. The Council Members were advised
to go on tour and conduct inspections. When he thought of starting a factory
or a civil work, he was to equip himself with all the details on it. He was to
collect statistics, facts, locations, common people’s views and the information
they had, cost of necessary raw material and their transportation, the market
or utility chances of the final outcome of the venture etc. Sir [Link]
personally visited the places if information provided was not available in
writing or printing. At Aden, he visited the region of the Sultanate of Lehaj, 70
miles away, to know about the rain pattern in the desert area, quantum of rain
water, its flow downward in various streams and finally percolating where the
streams ended without reaching the sea. This place was 17 miles away from
Aden, and from there he planned to supply water to Aden. All this was the
outcome of his personal visit, study and inspection of the areas.
He was very particular while selecting the men (staff) for his work or any
Government work. Soon after joining as Chief Engineer in Mysore State, he is
set to have “met with difficulties in making appointments.”
“A high officer in the Public Works Department sent me a list of names of
persons to be newly appointed and in support or justification, he gave the
names of several officers in the state to whom the candidates were related
or from whom recommendations have been received. The list was sent
back to the officer to be arranged accordingly to the precise technical and
educational qualification of the candidate after further investigation. By
enquiry and discussion, candidates were selected, priority being given to
merit and qualifications as far as they could be ascertained.”51 This must have
helped spread the news of Sir [Link]’s stringent attitude towards
51. Memoirs, p.43.
267
 Jewels of Administration

appointment policy, making him famous or ‘notorious’ for sticking to merit in

selection of people. This led to the ‘Brahmin-Non-Brahmin’ controversy, which
was finally one of the reasons for his quitting the Dewanship.
Sir [Link] was a liberal and a democrat. He had stayed in Pune
for long and was closely associated with Justice Ranade, also once a college
teacher known for his saintly temperament together with being a liberal and
democrat himself and with advanced thought in social matters. Gopalakrishna
Gokhale was Ranade’s close associate and was a Congressman, being a leader
of Moderate Party. Moderates did not want the British to quit India immediately
and wanted India to take advantage of the education, scientific outlook,
technological progress etc. that they had introduced, and develop through
social reforms and economic growth. Sir [Link], like Rangacharlu,
was of this attitude and had visited European countries like Switzerland
and Sweden and others like Australia and Canada which had, within a
short period, achieved tremendous educational, agricultural and industrial
advancement with the common people, including peasants and labourers,
enjoying a better standard of living. He would often give the instance of these
foreign countries.
“We are too much accustomed to soft conditions. The number of working
hours is fewer here than in Europe. There are more Government holidays
in this State than even in British provinces. Official employment is sought
for because once a man gets into service, whether efficient or weak, wise or
imprudent, he is sure of a competence during the rest of this life,” he said in
an address to engineers (1910).52 “As compared with Europe, our climate and
conditions all predispose us to a life of inaction and ease. We are influenced
by religious sentiments, class patriotism or belief in kismet, whereas the
activities of western natives rest on economic basis. While they think and
act in conformity with economic necessities, we expect to prosper without
acquiring the scientific precision, the inventive faculty, the thoroughness, the
discipline, and restraint of modern civilization,” (1912, Central College). Here,
he pointed out that Canada had 18 Universities, whereas Mysore had none, the
percentage of educated population in Canada was over 80 percent, whereas in
Mysore it was 6 percent, and that the value of manufacture per head was Rs.
300 in Canada, whereas it was Rs. 3.4 in Mysore. If the population of Canada
in 1911 was 70 lakhs, Mysore’s was 57 lakhs.
In his address at the Mysore Economic Conference in 1914, he pointed out
that Canada had a railway mileage of 28,035, Australia 18,653, but Mysore
only 422. The number of Universities in these places was 20, six and zero,
respectively, and the trade per head in Pound Sterling was 28.81 in Canada,
30.18 in Australia and just 1.04 in Mysore. He further attributed the fact
that “the ideal of life is that this world is a preparation for the next world and
not a place to stay in and make ourselves comfortable,” as the reason for our
backwardness.

52 Speeches, p.43.
268
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

People’s Participation
In Mysore State, the Representative Assembly meetings and its reports, to
some extent, made people realise their social responsibilities and powers and
privileges. Sir [Link] secured for the Assembly the right to discuss
the income and expenditure statements of the State and their views were
conveyed to the Maharaja. This statement came to be printed in Kannada for
the first time. He arranged for two sessions of the Representative Assembly,
one at Dasara as usual, and from 1917, another called Budget session in April
to discuss the Budget in detail. The Membership of the Legislative Council
was increased from 18 to 24, and of these four were to be chosen by the
Representative Assembly and four others by the voters from eight districts.
The Council was given the powers to ask questions and discuss the budget.53
Under the Mysore Local Boards Panchayat Regulation No II (1918), District
Boards and Panchayats were to have a majority of elected members. In
town municipalities and village Panchayats, election of Vice-President and
President, respectively, was permitted. Franchise was extended by lowering
the qualifications of the voters. Even the qualifications of the candidates
contesting election was lowered to open it up to more people. With certain
limitations, members of the Representative Assembly were given the right of
interpellation and raising objections.
Local Boards were given control over primary
education, medical dispensaries and veterinary
hospitals. Independent budget was allotted to
the Local Boards. The number of Executive
Council Members was increased from two to
three by nominating the Prince Kanthirava
Narasaraja Wodeyar as an Extra-ordinary
Member in 1914. He took much interest in the
Prince Kanthirava Narasaraja Wodeyar
co-operative movement.54
Another important achievement of the period was changing the Instrument
of Transfer of 1881 and securing for the Maharaja and the State a better
status vis-à-vis Supreme Government. The Maharaja intended that instead
of Instrument of Transfer, there could be a Treaty between the State and the
Supreme Government and he expressed his desire to Sir [Link].
When Edwin Montagu, Under Secretary of State visited Mysore in 1913,
Sir [Link] discussed the matter with him. Later that year, Viceroy
Lord Hardinge visited Mysore and drafting of the new Treaty was finalised
by discussion between the Maharaja, Lord Hardinge and the Resident, Hugh
Daly. On 6th November 1913, Lord Hardinge announced that the Instrument of
Transfer would be a new Treaty. “Your Highness’ views on this question were
stated with much force and moderation and that they desire additional weight
from the high character and reputation which Your Highness has always
borne,” and he announced the acceptance of the new Treaty.
53. Shama Rao, p.267-68.
54. Ibid., p.281.
269
 Jewels of Administration

The Maharaja wrote to Sir [Link], thanking him in this connection:

“I truly realise the fact that the success of my representation to the Viceroy is
in no small measure due to the able and convincing manner in which you put
the case before him, and I cannot sufficiently thank you for the great service
you have thus rendered to me and my state…”55 (22nd November 1913).
With a view to separating the executive from the judiciary, revenue officers
were freed from judicial responsibilities. This was to be enforced in two districts
as an experiment. However, this was actually implemented from January 1919
when his term as the Dewan was already over. Amildars and sub-divisional
officers were no longer to handle criminal cases.
“During earlier years of Dewanship, Sir [Link] followed a system of
District inspection which struck me as model planned touring and exhaustive
stock taking,” says N Madhava Rao. “Weeks in advance the details and
statistics were collected on all aspects of the District – agriculture, irrigation,
industry and general economic conditions by officers deputed for the purpose.
Minor wants of each taluk from records, reports and demands made in
Representative Assembly were all collected. It was like compiling a District
Gazetteer,” Madhava Rao adds.56
The Mysore Economic Conference had been introduced when Sir
[Link] was the Chief Engineer and it was continued under his
Dewanship. Each district had a Superintendent or Assistant Deputy
Commissioner to look after the affairs of the Economic Conference, and at the
Secretariat, a Secretary to coordinate the work was appointed. The Mysore
Economic Review in English
and the Artha Sadhaka Patrike
in Kannada were published to
report and discuss the activities
of the Conference. C. Hayavadana
Rao was invited from Madras
to edit the English version. The
District Committees prepared
and presented this to the
Conference in 1918 and statistics
on each district and details of its
resources in the form of a handset
were published. Introduction
of compulsory education was
as one of the resolutions of the
Economic Conference. It was Kannada Sahitya Parishat - Bengaluru
first introduced in selected areas and in 1918, it was introduced in 68 centers.
Establishment of the Mysore bank, Kannada Sahitya Parishat and University
of Mysore and many such developments were the outcome of the deliberations
of the Economic Conference.
55. Ibid., p.266.
56. “MV”, p.50
270
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

Efficiency Audit
Founding of the Efficiency Audit has already been referred to. Departmental
manuals were prepared and they were revised from time to time. Rules to
maintain records in offices were framed. A quarterly, Blue Book Journal was
published which contained important Government orders and the techniques
of discharging duties by officers. It recorded reports on the efficient execution
of the functioning of each office and its branches.
N Madhava Rao who was in charge of the Efficiency Audit Department says,
“The bulk of the work of an office is necessarily of a routine character, but it
should not be neglected on that account. It should be done not only promptly,
but thoroughly with an eye to finish.” But this was not all; every officer was
to maintain a list of important questions, outside his ordinary routine for
continuous study and attention. He was to “seek opportunities for service
without waiting for a call”. Such were Sir [Link]’s way of thinking.
The Recruitment Rules for services were framed. Mysore Civil Service
Examination was initiated as a competitive test. There were to be separate
examinations for several grades. Minimum qualifications for various grades
were finalised.
Panchayats were instituted in villages for the all-round development of
villages and especially to pay attention to village sanitation, village tanks
and other public issues. Inter-village communication was improved. A total
of 460 towns and villages were provided with electricity and use of power
for industries in rural areas was encouraged. Sir [Link] was highly
particular about village development.
These are only accounts of changes in administration setup which
his mindset was responsible for Sir [Link]’s capability as a great
administrator and personal hard work and dedication has already been noted
by his contemplating and completing projects like Krishnaraja Sagar, Mysore
University or the Bhadravati Iron Works. With periodical issuing of circulars,
officials were urged to work hard and with unfailing commitment. Through
observation of attendance records, receipt of complaints and grievances and
their redressal and strict enforcement of discipline, Sir [Link] oiled
the administrative machinery regularly to make it work smoothly.
The Maharaja wrote to Sir [Link] on 24th July 1914: “It is a fact
that I have never before since 1902 enjoyed so much peace and happiness as I
have during 21 months, thanks to your able management of affairs and I trust
it may long continue.” (Memoirs)
N. Madhava Rao who was in charge of the Efficiency Audit Unit wrote that Sir
[Link] “decided to bring about a change in official atmosphere, and
the steps he had taken for the purpose as Chief Engineer were intensified and
extended to all services when he was appointed Dewan.” “By his own personal
example and by the issue of circular instructions and otherwise, he inculcated
in the Government servants the importance of working hard, observing regular

271
 Jewels of Administration

hours of office attendance, receiving complaints and grievances of the public.57

N Madhava Rao describes Sir [Link] as one who “practised what he
preached.” N Madhava Rao has also given details of his later management of
the Bhadravati Iron Works when he was a member of the Board of Management
and also the Resident Director. This has already been discussed.

Financial Progress
“In November 1912, when Sir [Link] became Dewan, the assets of
the State amounted Rs. 795 lakhs and liabilities to Rs. 362 lakhs. During the six
years he was in charge, administrative of revenue of the State ranged between
Rs. 255 lakhs and Rs. 315 lakhs. The expenditure increased progressively
from Rs. 201 lakhs in 1912 to Rs. 390 lakhs in 1918-19, but in spite of this
increase in expenditure, large annual surplus were left,” says Shama Rao. 58
During the regime of Sir [Link], both the income and expenditure
witnessed large increases. “But the increased expenditure was well within the
growth of revenue, and surplus in the year 1917-18 was large as Rs. 52 ½
lakhs,” Shama Rao praises Sir [Link]’s fiscal talent.59
“During the year 1913, the Government of India recognised the claim of His
Highness’ Government to the surplus revenue of the Civil and Military station
Bangalore and paid part of it (Rs. 30 lakhs) to His Highness’ Government, the
balance being paid in the succeeding year,” points out C Hayavadana Rao. 60
By careful calculation, Sir [Link] always ensured that the State
did not face fiscal deficit as seen elsewhere.
As the Secretary of the Railway Department, Sir [Link] had
opened a local Railway department. Services of EAS Bell were obtained from
the Government of India, and local engineers and local officers were recruited
to be trained in the work. Sir [Link] had laid down new railway lines
totaling 215 miles during his Dewanship and another 46 miles was under
construction. But the earlier lines of 411 miles had been laid by the Madras and
Southern Maratha(M&SM)Railway. Sir [Link] made arrangements for
the Mysore Government to acquire these earlier lines from the Government of
India in 1918. “I was delighted to learn from your letter that the Government of
India had passed orders transferring the Birur-Shimoga, Mysore-Nanjangud
and Bangalore-Mysore lines to State management – a real gain to the State on
which I congratulate you,” the Maharaja wrote to him on 10th April 1918.61 Sir
[Link] points out that the gross revenue from the railways in 1912-
13 was Rs. 37.21 lakhs which rose to Rs. 53 lakhs in 1918-19.
The gross revenue of the State was Rs. 2.51 crores in 1911-12 which rose
to Rs. 310 crores in 1919-20.

57. Ibid, p.49.

58. Shama Rao, II p.261.
59. Ibid, 292.
60. Mysore Gazetteer, p.3034.
61. Memoirs, p.79.
272
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

“In a statement issued by 1928-29, detailed figures given to show that

every year there was a surplus of budget and capital to the extent of Rs. 332
lakhs had been invested on industries and productive public works which
were assets to the State,” Sir [Link] says. 62 He further says that the
budget of the year 1919-20, the year next to his retirement, was termed by the
then Dewan as a ‘Prosperity Budget’
In 1891, insurance facility had been provided by the State Government to
its employees. The Government also sanctioned Family Pension Scheme (1911)
and State Provident Fund (1915) for the benefit of public servants. Even the
public at large was permitted to make use of the insurance facilities. At the
first Convocation of the Mysore University (1918), the Maharaja expressed
his “debt of gratitude from myself and my people to Sir [Link], the
Dewan of my State. It was chiefly his patriotism, his enthusiasm and his
unflinching advocacy which converted what was once little more than a dream
of the future into a living creation and his name will always be remembered,
above all others as the man to whom our University owes its being.” 63 Sir
Ashutosh Mukharje, the Vice-Chancellor of the Calcutta University, delivered
the convocation address.

Religion and Society

Though he was a religious man, Sir [Link] did not make a show
of his religious temperament. In a conference at Thiruvananthapuram that he
was to preside over, he asked for the proposed prayer of half-an-hour duration
to be cut short to ten minutes to enable the conference to devote more time
to the regular business. He used to wear the sacred thread religiously. Each
year on the scheduled day when the thread had to be changed, the priest
would reach his home at the scheduled time and Sir [Link], dressed
traditionally in a dhoti and a shawl, accepted the ritual sacred thread and
paid due remuneration (dakshina) to the priest.
Before eating his meals, he would change into the traditional dhoti from his
Western attire and sit on the traditional short stool (mane) and then eat. Since
he had gone abroad and was not ‘supposed’ to perform religious ceremonies
directly, he would participate in the shraddha (annual ceremony) of his parents
at his own house. His brother conducted the ceremony and Sir [Link]
would sit quietly nearby wearing a dhoti and apparels fit for the occasion and
wearing a pavitra (ring made of darbha grass) and attending the ritual with all
devotion and earnestness. He would dine only after the priest had dined and
till then would be on fast. Once during a visit to Kerala, on being informed
that Acharya Shankara’s birthplace Kaladi was in the vicinity, he visited the
place with all devotion. He carried a copy of the Bhagavadgita in his luggage
whenever he travelled, as reported by a friend and noted agnost A.N. Murthy
Rao.

62. Ibid., p.81.

63. Speeches by His High Highness 1920-22, p.233-34.
273
 Jewels of Administration

It is clear Sir [Link] was not an agnostic. However, he never made

a show of his theism or religious leanings either. To him, daylong work for
the betterment of the people was in tune with the Upanishadic teachings,
says Murthy Rao. 64 He reorganised the Muzrai Department and gave strict
instructions for the cleaning and maintenance of the premises of temples and
other religious centers. People were to enter the temple only after ablution.
The temple was to be maintained clean of skins of plantain or flowers and
other material used in worships. His instructions were that a temple must
instill a feeling that it was the abode of God and nothing less. Orders were
issued to maintain a serene atmosphere in the centers of worship. He gave
the instances of Japan or USA where devotees never littered the place but put
everything in boxes kept outside.
Influenced by Justice Ranade and other thinkers, Sir [Link] was
liberal socially. He strove for the emancipation of women by providing separate
schools for girls and free education. Separate hostels for girls were opened. To
help widows and destitute be self-reliant, he arranged for their occupational
training and encouraged the Mahila Seva Samaj of Bangalore and similar
organisations to undertake such trainings for them. He also urged industries
to train and employ them.
He did not believe in practicing caste differences. Whenever he was on tour,
he insisted on all members of his entourage, irrespective of their caste and
creed, to be served food together in the same line together with him; even a
driver or an attendant were asked to join in. At the Assembly meetings, he
dined with other members, sitting in the common row.
He increased the number of Panchama Schools in the State and provided
them scholarships. There were already residential schools for the Panchamas
and the number of students was increasing. There were also separate hostels
for Panchama girls. He opposed the defacing of widows. He met the widow
of former Dewan VP Madhava Rao and advised her not to confine herself to
a secluded room, but engage herself in social work. Provision was made for
teaching modern home sciences to girls in schools. Girls had no school fees
and in 1915, 1,700 girls were provided with scholarship. Slate, books and
pencil were given free to girls.
He always discouraged excessive expenditure on thread ceremonies,
marriages and obsequies. He would assert that such extravagance was not
to be mistaken for a higher social status. He discouraged marriages among
close relatives, pointing out that in-breeding would bear physically weaker
offspring. He also encouraged birth control. He once lamented that at the
rate the population was increasing, in 20 years hence, people would die of
starvation in the streets.
At Bangalore, he helped found the Civic and Social Progressive Association
with K.P. Puttanna Chetty as the Chairman in 1937. It was inaugurated by
Sir [Link]. The Association’s main objectives were working towards
64. Masti Vekatesha Iyengar in “MV”, p.228.
274
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

village sanitation, cleanliness, eradication of untouchability, opposing

practices like child marriage, drunkenness, practice of dowry and excessive
religious expenditure. The main agendas as suggested by Sir [Link]
were: (1) propagating in favour of raising the marriageable age of girls to 14, (2)
encouraging social harmony by discouraging differences in caste and creed, (3)
telling people that unless a young man could manage his family on his own,
he should not be encouraged to marry, (4) propagating against drunkenness,
(5) encouraging native system of physical exercise and (6) popularising the
provisions of Social Reform Regulations.
He strongly felt the need to awaken society by propagating the need to put
an end to out-dated and superstitious customs and practices and bringing
about a healthy social change. He also strongly supported greater freedom for
women, was opposed to their confinement to their homes and also vehemently
opposed the purdah system. He himself did not heed the religious ban on
overseas travel. This was almost 70 years ago. Civilization was moving at a
slow pace. Many people thought Sir [Link]’s suggestions for social
reforms were ‘revolutionary’ for the times, says [Link] Rao.
His ideas of village development have already been discussed and his
programme of Village Improvement Scheme is also noted. He had a vision for
village development. “Young ones were sent to tend cattle or sheep and were
not sent to schools. They left home early and returned after sunset. They were
also engaged to toil at fields, gardens and weeding out in fields. There had to
be facility for the grown ups too to teach them the three R’s. ‘My son knows
how to sign’, many a times parents boast. He knew nothing more, either to
read or write.” Sir [Link] felt every village should have a blacksmith,
carpenter and a cobbler. The bullock cart wheel should be assembled in the
same village. Footwear should be manufactured in the very village. Every family
should learn some profession or another. For every village with a population
of 250, there should be an industrial unit. Every family should keep stock of
food grains for the next two years. They should not borrow money except for
productive work. Every village should get two standard newspapers and people
should acquaint themselves with the local and world affairs. Villages should
report the figures of birth, death, cattle and development works undertaken
during the year. Villages should have hotels or inns where villagers meet and
discuss public issues. These were some of the far-sighted dreams which Sir
[Link] had for the villages and their progress.

Finer Qualities
Sir [Link] was a man of self-respect vis-à-vis the Europeans.
He gave up his top job in Bombay because despite being far more capable
and industrious than any European engineer, it became evident that only
a European was likely to be the Chief Engineer and he himself would never
secure the post. As the Chief Engineer in Mysore, he witnessed such stark
discrimination for the first time during the Dasara durbar of the Maharaja,
275
 Jewels of Administration

when all European officers were made to sit on chairs in a row and the Indian
officers on the floor in a separate row. He privately protested against this,
and from the next year onwards, he ensured Indian officers too were provided
with chairs. Wherever possible, he would appoint Indians for important posts
– instead of a European, he made [Link] Rao, the Resident Director to
the Bhadravati Iron Works. He would always prefer desi items to foreign items
wherever possible. Europeans were replaced by qualified locals. Even during
the building of the mammoth [Link] dam, he used local techniques instead
of importing cement. All these reflect his fervent patriotism, although he never
went as far as to reject something more useful just because it was Western
made.
In selecting men for work, merit was the only criteria he would base it on.
He was not for nepotism or favouritism. On assuming charge as Dewan, he
invited all his close relatives to a dinner where he requested them to refrain
from approaching him for seeking any Government job. Instead, he sent
relatives of meagre means, monthly money orders as per their needs assessed
by him. Once, one of his uncles, who had been working in the Secretariat for
long, sought his help in securing a promotion. The Dewan however did not
recommend him, and instead resorted to sending him a monthly purse as
compensation for his failure to get promoted.
In another instance, one of his nephews (his brother’s son), who had acquired
an M.A., L.L.M., degree, sought Sir [Link]’s help to secure a job. Sir
[Link] advised him to leave the State and set up his own practice at
Dharwad in Bombay Presidency and there, he rendered him whatever help he
could. He flaunted a clean, untainted record and never once misused his office
to the benefit of his family. He did not have a house of his own and lived in a
rented accommodation. When Sir Mirza Ismail volunteered to build a house
for him, he politely refused and never took a house of his own.
While touring places which had no electricity, he would carry with him two
candles – one for official work and the other for personal work. He would not
use the official stationery for personal correspondence. The official vehicle was
never used for personal travel. Sir [Link]’s characteristic austerity
became almost legendary.

Envious White Man

Some of the Imperialist British Officers were resentful of Sir [Link]’s
success at his work and his fanatic zeal to develop Mysore as a State superior to
their own Presidencies. Madras officials were unhappy with his undertaking the
Cauvery (KR Sagar) project, founding the Mysore University and in developing
industries in Mysore. Some Imperial officers were unhappy over his spending
money on industrial and railway projects during war time, when England was
in distress. Mysore State had rendered enough help in men and material for
the war, but some British officers felt the need to regularly collect ‘chautayi’,
like the Marathas had done, for the Empire. Others were unhappy with Sir
276
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

[Link]’s starting the Mysore-Arsikere railway line. The British were

suspicious of Mysore having its sympathies with Germany and were wary of
the outlook of Indians vis-à-vis Germany. Spies haunted the Century Club or
any other spot which was frequented by Government employees.
Among the officers hostile towards Sir [Link] was H.V. Cobb, the
new Resident who had succeeded Daly. He criticised the Dewan over some
issues and some of these criticism were carried by the local newspapers. The
Resident claimed that officers in the Durbar had informed him of certain
matters and he singled out a piece of writing on the Russian Revolution by
[Link] in the newspaper Karnataka. Sir [Link] wrote back to
the Resident stating that officers of the Durbar ought not to be used as spies
and that it was not proper for him to interfere in the internal administration of
the State. He also warned the State officers severely for their spying activities,
if any. He also sent for [Link] who explained that he had criticised
neither the Mysore durbar nor the British but the dictatorial rule in Russia.
[Link] clarified that his intention was to stress on the need for a
responsible Government in Mysore under the aegis of the Maharaja. Sir
[Link] was satisfied with the explanation.65
Sir [Link] did not act on the matter merely because the Resident
was angry over the write-up, but used his discretionary power to maintain the
freedom of the Press, says VS Narayan Rao.66 Sir [Link] held freedom
of expression and healthy criticism in high regard.
Once, Cobb visited the public library and reading room in Cubbon Park and
became furious over the library’s subscription to Bombay Chronicle (edited
by Nariman, Bombay) and New India (edited by Annie Besant from Madras),
questioning the propriety of getting such “scurrilous rags” to the library. He
wanted to stop these subscriptions immediately. [Link] reported the
whole episode in Karnataka: “Who is this Cobb to us? What is he to the library
maintained by Mysore tax payers’ money and members’ subscriptions?”67
The library’s choice of subscriptions was a purely internal matter and it did
not reflect well on the highly powerful British Resident worrying himself with
such petty matters, [Link] further wrote. The writing in Karnataka
prompted Cobb wrote to the Dewan to take action against [Link]. Sir
[Link] held a discussion over the matter with [Link], but did
not take any action and held the freedom of Press as supreme.68

Non-Brahmins’ demand
The Praja Mitra Mandali had been actively agitating over securing Government
jobs for non-Brahmin candidates. Since there were a limited number of bright
young non-Brahmin men to fill such posts, Sir [Link] wanted to
extend educational facilities to them by providing scholarships, even to those at
65. Gundappa, D.V., “MV”, p.118.
66. V.S.N., p.180.
67. D.V.G., in “MV”, p.177.
68. V.S.N., p.181.
277
 Jewels of Administration

the lower strata of society, the ‘untouchables’. There was a strong propaganda
in the palace in favour of the cause of the non-Brahmins, influenced by the
‘Justice Party’ of Madras. The Maharaja was also in favour of this demand.
“By ignoring merit and capacity, efficiency of administration, for which we
had been working so hard, would suffer” 69 was Sir [Link]’s view. The
Maharaja however did not agree with this view that only meritorious persons
could deliver [Link] please the non-Brahmin party leaders, the Maharaja
considered appointing the Justice Miller Committee to look into the issue in
August.
In fact, in 1914, Sir [Link], despite being a firm believer in
meritorious recruitment, scaled down the qualification for non-Brahmin
candidates for selection to Shekdar and Amildar posts. In 1916, reservation
for non-Brahmins was increased to 25 percent. In December 1916, 25 percent
reservation for non-Brahmins for the selection of revenue officers was decided
upon. The Maharaja suggested 33 percent reservation. But in 1916, when
six Assistant Commissioners were selected for appointment, they were all
Brahmins. The Maharaja was unhappy and suggested the selection of three
non-Brahmins which was complied with. In 1917, when the competitive
exams were held, together with six Brahmin Assistant Commissioners, six
non-Brahmins were also selected. The Dewan ordered their appointment.
However, there were forces actively engaged in fueling the already existing
mis-understandings and create new ones, between the Maharaja and Sir
[Link]. The Yuvaraja (Prince), Resident Cobb and RH Campbell,
Secretary to the Maharaja, were among such forces. The British Government
itself was not too happy with Sir [Link], as indicated by Cobb’s
attitude. Bjorn Hettne points out that “Sir [Link] understood that
realisation of his projects necessitated a large degree of autonomy for the state,
and consequently the British were alarmed.”70 The British wanted to build an
acetylene factory at Bangalore, but Sir [Link] wanted the factory to
be handed over to Mysore State after the war. This angered the British and
project did not materialise. The Praja Mitra Mandali was demanding limiting
the entrance of Brahmins to even educational institutions. The British felt
that “they have got a Dewan who was not very co-operative, and both the
Resident and the British Private Secretary of the Maharaja did the best to
create difficulties for him. They received good help from the non-Brahmins’
movement,” Hettne says.
A published record (vide: Mysore Administrative Paper, Karnataka Letters,
Vol IV, Dewan Visvesvaraya, State Archives 1994, from Dewan’s office file 1917,
p.128) under the heading ‘Suggested Reforms in Mysore Administration’ gives
details of a proposal put forth by Sir [Link] to enlarge the Executive
Council by nominating two more members who would share the work load of
the Council, where one of the new members could be non-official. However, the
newly appointed Additional members were not to participate (or have a seat)
69. Memoirs, p.87.
70. Ibid., pp:87-88.
278
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

in the Council meetings. Barring this, their function was to be similar to the
regular members. “We cannot shut our eyes to the changes that are going on
about us in British India in recognising the worth of non-officials and giving
them an opportunity of sharing the responsibilities of Government”. The very
idea of ‘responsible government’ was anathema to the Maharaja and men like
Cobb and Campbell. But the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms were thinking in
terms of elected members in provinces being appointed as Ministers under the
program ‘Dyarchy’. Sarcastic comments on the proposal were written while
turning down them. The Dewan’s proposal sent on 11th July was returned with
the notes signed by Sir Mirza Ismail on 12th August, stating, “The above views
of His Highness have been recorded by me under orders, for the Dewan’s kind
information.” The Dewan was hurt for more than one reason and not on the
reservation issue alone. Mirza was in Durbar’s Secretariat.
The Dewan’s effort was towards granting more power to people which the
Maharaja did not like. In June 1918, non-Brahmin leaders demanded the
increase of proportion of non-Brahmins in service, and it was suggested, if
necessary, that non-Brahmins from outside the State could be invited for
the purpose if qualified men within were not available. In this regard, Sir
[Link] said that outsiders could not have the same sympathy for the
State as the locals might have. He quoted Hyderabad State’s instance where
outsiders dominated the State service. Another demand of the non-Brahmin
party was the scaling down of educational qualification for jobs in case of
recruitment of non-Brahmins. Sir [Link] was worried that in such
a case, the administrative machinery would be weakened. But the Maharaja
did not consider these demands and instead, appointed a committee headed
by Justice Leslie Miller in August to consider the question of demands of non-
Brahmins.

The Exit
“By ignoring merit and capacity, I feared production would be hampered and
efficiency of the administration for which we had been working so hard would
suffer”.71 Sir [Link] insisted that he did not react to the appointment
of the Miller Committee and that his decision to resign had been conveyed to
the Maharaja far earlier.
“After prolonged discussion and exchange of views for a considerable time, I
obtained His Highness’ consent to retire from service. Some time was required
to arrange and place all new schemes in operation and other contemplated
developments in a safe condition before I could actually laid down office.
So it was agreed, some eight months before hand that I should retire at a
convenient date at the end of the year. This arrangement was kept a closely
guarded secret.”72 On 9th December 1919, he went on leave, availing a pre-
retirement benefit. Meanwhile, the Maharaja had expressed his great pleasure

71. Hettne, p.79.

72. Memoirs, p.87.
279
 Jewels of Administration

over the transfer of some routes of M&SM Railway to the Mysore Government.
He congratulated the Dewan over the success of his efforts in the direction, on
10th April 1918. His monthly salary was raised to Rs. 5,000. Sir [Link]
however refused the offer and requested earnestly that it was compensation
enough for him if his schemes were approved. In the month of May 1918, the
Bhadravati Iron Works project was approved despite stern opposition from
many, including the British. The Maharaja might have had second thoughts
over relieving Sir [Link] of the Dewanship. Orders were issued to pay
Rs. 5,000 per month to the Dewan.
Despite this, the files indicate that the relations between the Maharaja and
the Dewan were on the decline. The Dewan’s idea of extending more power to
people by appointing a non-official as Additional Member to the Council was
too hot for the men at the Durbar to handle. There were men at the Durbar
keen on harassing him. To Sir [Link], progress of the State was of
top priority. He was not prepared to face humiliations despite the Maharaja
expressing his deep faith in him, and at the same, his being able to achieve
progress as per his wishes and plans. Sir Mirza Ismail, the Maharaja’s secretary,
met with Sir [Link] to reconcile things but to no avail.
Having questioned ,What was the outcome of Dewan laying down office ?,
a leading popular reader and Government servant KH Ramiah had remarked
that, the goods train (bogies) of our Dewan Sir [Link] were attached
to mail train engine. While the Engine moved speedily, the goods bougies
stopped. Jayappa Gauda interprets KH Ramiah’s metaphor as alluding to the
situation where even if Sir [Link] had continued as Dewan, things
had come to such a state that they would not have worked out. Without the
whole hearted support of the Durbar, the Dewan would not have received the
full co-operation that he needed for the success of his schemes and projects.
The Government Gazette Extraordinary announced his retirement thus: “…
During all this period, Sir [Link] laboured with untiring zeal and
single-minded devotion to increase the material resources of the state. His
administration as Dewan has resulted in important and far-reaching progress
in irrigation works, railway communications and industries, and he laid
foundation for the prosperous future for the state. Sir [Link] carries
with him in his retirement the esteem and best wishes of His Highness the
Maharaja and all classes of the subjects.” The exit of Sir [Link] is
described appropriately by Hettne: “Sir [Link]’s position became
increasing untenable. He was continuously attacked in the newspapers
controlled by non-Brahmins for his ruinous development projects. His long
time investment of infrastructure and heavy industries did not fit into the
transactional kind of politics that began to emerge, and it was not the type of
development that the British wanted to promote in India.”73
There was pressure from some officials of the Supreme Government as well
those who could not tolerate a princely state advancing industrially and in

73. Hettne, p.80.

280
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

other fields more than their own limping Presidencies. Viceroy Chelmsford
was one of them.

After Retirement as Dewan

After retirement from the Dewan’s post, Sir [Link] went on a tour
on his leave period. He had written to the Maharaja promising that even after
retirement, he was prepared to render any service to the State in any form
when called upon. Before formally laying down office as Dewan in 1919, he
visited places like Japan, Canada, United States, etc.
He was invited by the Maharaja to take care of the Bhadravati Iron Works
which was running under loss. Sir [Link] was staying in Bombay
at that time. Tata Iron and Steel Ltd., the managing agent for the Bhadravati
Works, was unable to manage it satisfactorily. Sir [Link] agreed to
come after an assurance that he would have a free hand in setting it to order.
He cancelled the agreement with the Tatas. A new Board of Management was
constituted with Sir [Link] as Chairman. Differences between various
departments in the factory were reconciled. Any new expenditure, except
what was absolutely necessary, was strictly stopped. A list of properties of
the factory was prepared. Team work was promoted and Sir [Link]’s
brilliant administrative skills were once again fully reflected when the factory
climbed back onto the track of success. He had ‘flogged a dead horse alive’,
one of his English colleague rightly said.
In 1925, the factory began making cast iron pipes with the help of a German
firm, which was more than double in strength compared to the British standard
specification. During the Second World War, the factory products proved of
great help to the British. Sir [Link] had to toil for six years to make
the project a success. The factory was the first in India to establish a ferro
silicon plant and an electric pig iron furnace. “During the last six years, the
operations have been reduced to a system, the cost of collection and transport
of materials brought down to the level of originally estimated, the output
maintained and the cost of production reduced by
more than 50 percent. Local staff has been trained
for the various positions, and methods of modern
administration have been introduced in the plant.
The works have gradually been made to pay their
way,” Sir [Link] stated in the Chairman’s
report in 1929.74
When Mahatma Gandhi visited the factory in
1927, he remarked, “This is a thing India can be
proud of.” Later, Dewan Sir Mirza Ismail added a steel
unit to the factory. To mark Sir [Link]’s
birth centenary, the factory was named the Sir
[Link] Iron and Steel Works. It is currently
Mahatma Gandhi
74. Memoirs, p.93.
281
 Jewels of Administration

managed by the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).The next significant

invitation from Mysore State came to Sir [Link] for the improvement
of water supply to Bangalore. He created a new reservoir at Tippagondanahalli
which helped Bangalore secure additional water supply of 10 million gallons
per day. The reservoir was capable of storing over 3,000 cubic feet of water.
His services were again sought after the Public Disturbances in Bangalore
in 1928, called the ‘Ganapathi Galate’. An enquiry was conducted over the
causes and nature of the disturbances and Sir [Link] was appointed
the head of the Enquiry Committee. He held regular hearings in the Mythic
Society’s Daly Memorial Hall for several weeks. The Committee’s report stressed
the need for a responsible Government in the State if such disturbances were
to be avoided.
Much later in 1944, Sir [Link] was invited to reconcile the
differences between Hyderabad State and Madras over the Tungabhadra
Project near Hospet. Both states decided to have Sir [Link] head the
arbitration board and his verdict (1947) was duly accepted. Bellary District
was merged with Mysore in 1953 and with Karnataka in 1956, and the dam
thus lay within the borders of Karnataka.
In 1924, Sir [Link] was requested by the Mysore Government
to help in expansion of the Cauvery Reservoir and arrange for the high
level canal. As Chairman of the Committee constituted for the purpose, Sir
[Link] made recommendations on the alignment and construction of
the new system of canals and also the long tunnel work. He also supervised
the work from time to time. He further advised the introduction of the Block
System for utilising water, like he had done for the Neera Canal. The scheme
combined Hydro-electric power supply and Irrigation proposition. “The project
yielded 7.25 percent in 1948-49, according to the figures given in the Budget,”
says Sir [Link]. 75 He also continued as the President of the Court of
the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, till 1947.
Sir [Link] also attempted to start a Car Manufacturing Factory in
Bangalore by negotiating with the Chrysler Corporation of US for collaboration
when Sir Mirza was the Dewan. However, the Supreme Government disallowed
it. Nonetheless, this project finally resulted in the establishment of HAL
(Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) in 1940.
A scheme for Rural Industrialisation drawn by the All-India Manufacturers’
Organisation, of which Sir [Link] was the President, was later
accepted by the Mysore Government in 1948 and it was introduced as a pilot
project in two districts.

His Works outside Mysore

Sir [Link] also worked as a consulting engineer and financial advisor
to the Municipal Corporations of Bombay and Karachi. The water supply and
drainage systems of many cities and towns in India, such as Akkalkot, Indore,
75. Ibid, p.96.
282
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

Gwalior, Hyderabad (Sindh), Nagpur, Goa (under the Portuguese, for their
main port’s water supply), Rajkot, Bhavanagar, Baroda, Sangli, Pandharpur,
Ahmednagar etc. were designed as per his recommendations.
Sir [Link] was requested by Mahatma Gandhi to suggest the flood
control methods in Orissa which had experienced a devastating flood in 1937.
Subsequently, he visited Orissa and submitted a report in 1939. Though the
Government could not undertake the programme suggested by him due to
financial constraints, the report helped the creation of the Hirakud Dam in
the upper reaches of the Mahanadi after Independence. Sir [Link]
did not accept the remuneration paid by the Orissa Government for the report
he had submitted in 1938 since he considered the work as being sent on a
mission by Gandhiji.
Earlier in 1917, the British Government appointed a committee to consider
the status of princely states in the administrative setup vis-à-vis the political
reforms it was planning for India through the various Reforms Acts. It
organised the Indian Princes’ League and the Mysore Government appointed
Sir [Link] as its representative to the League. He participated in
two conferences held at Patiala and Bikaner. But, the freedom movement
had gained strength in India from 1920-21 on wards only, when Gandhiji
became its leader. However, in the beginning Congress had limited its political
agitations only in British India.
When the Secretary of State for India, Edwin Montagou visited India, Sir
[Link] requested him to make provisions for representation of Indian
princes in the upper House of the Central Legislature. Viceroy Chelmsford
rejected the request. Viceroy Chelmsford had developed a dislike towards Sir
[Link] for his proposals. Montagu sympathised with the request.
However, Sir [Link] refused Montagou’s invitation to be a member
of the high-level Council of India in London in 1920, says [Link] Rao.76
(This Council had been founded to replace the Board of Control in 1858).
Sir [Link] was particular about staying in India and work for its
growth.
The princely states did not care for the political rights of their subjects,
though the British provinces had brought about many reforms to give
representation to people, such as the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms which
had granted ministerial posts to the elected members of the State Legislatures
over transferred subjects by introducing dyarchy in 1919.
The famous journalist, [Link] from Bangalore was a harbinger of
responsible governance in princely states. He wrote a letter to the Maharaja of
Bikaner who was President of the Indian Princes’ League, appealing to him to
establish responsible governments in princely states. He published a booklet,
Problems of Indian Native States, in 1918. [Link] also attended the
Bombay Congress Session where he urged the Congress to set up a separate
cell to deal with the people of the princely states and secure them a responsible
76. VSN, p.213.
283
 Jewels of Administration

government. [Link] continued his efforts and a conference of the

southern princely states were organised at Thiruvananthapuram in 1929.
Sir [Link] who presided over the conference spoke on the rights of
the people of the princely states and in favour of responsible government.
Representatives from Hyderabad, Pudukottai, Cochin etc. who attended the
conference were inspired over the agitation for princely states’ people’s rights.
A 17-member permanent Executive Committee was founded for follow-up
work.

Funding AIMO
Sir [Link] succeeded in persuading leading industrialists of India to
establish the All-India Manufacturers’ Organisation (AIMO) to develop modern
industries in the country, in 1941. Sir [Link] was its President.
The Organisation had active plans of industrialisation in the country. In
1946-47, an industrial delegation visited USA, Canada and Europe under
Sir [Link]’s leadership. He was around 87 at that time. “You must
look to countries that are ahead of us, how they run their industries and
their standard of life,” was his advice to the delegates. 77 AIMO members were
encouraged to develop contacts with industrialists in various countries and
network with them to help develop industries in India. Sir [Link]’s
pencil would be furiously moving over his notebook, taking down notes on
whatever he saw.
“I would like you to introduce German efficiency in our organization,” Sir
[Link] told KH Hirlekar, Secretary of the AIMO who had contacts in
Germany.78 Later,the AIMO went on to play a prominent role in expansion of
industries in India. In 1930, the Bombay University constituted a committee
with Sir [Link] as Chairman to promote the study of chemical
engineering. This resulted in the founding of the Chemical Technology Institute
at Matunga, Bombay. Similarly, he became the Chairman of the Irrigation
Enquiry Committee of Bombay in 1938, whose recommendations, including
the Block System, was accepted by the Government.
The Government of India appointed Sir [Link] as a member of
the New Capital Inquiry Committee in 1922. Sir Malcolm Hailey was its
Chairman. New Government buildings were being raised for the new capital
at New Delhi after the transfer of India’s capital from Calcutta (Kolkata). Sir
[Link] helped supervise the work, suggesting technical improvements
in the construction work, creation of extensions and drainage system etc.
In 1925, the newly constituted Central Assembly wanted a handbook on
India. The Government appointed a Committee in 1925 with Sir [Link]
as Chairman. This was the Indian Economic Enquiry Committee. Accordingly,
after seven months of toil, Sir [Link] submitted the report to the
British Viceroy.
77. “MV”, p.194.
78. Ibid., p.78
284
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

When Bombay city wanted to secure more space for expansion, it decided
to acquire a part of the sea. The project was known as the Back Bay
Reclamation. There were allegations of irregularities in the work done by a
European contractor. Sir [Link] was made a member of the Back Bay
Enquiry Committee (1926) which recommended the development of the area
reclaimed already and curtailed further reclamation. Sir [Link] is
said to have played a major role in drafting the report. ‘Veer’ Nariman, a young
Congressman and Bombay Mayor, and journalist had led the agitation against
the irregularities in the reclamation work. A part of the reclaimed region is
now called Nariman Point, after Veer Nariman.
When the Sukkur Barrage across the Sindhu (Indus) was being raised in
1929, there were complaints against its execution. The Bombay Government
constituted a two-member committee consisting of Sir [Link] and
Nawab Ali Yavar Jung. Their report was duly accepted. “The report is obviously
an excellent one,” the Governor remarked to Sir [Link].

Talent Admired All over

The great, penetrative capacities of Sir [Link] as an engineer,
administrator, financial expert and a patriot committed to the country’s
welfare and growth are demonstrated by his being invited to head various
expert committees and his reports being accepted by the authorities. Sir
[Link] also became an advisor to the mighty Tata Iron & Steel Ltd
between 1927 and 1955.
Perhaps, one of his most interesting and also adventurous assignments
was his rendering over the raising of a strategic bridge across the Ganga in
the 1950s near Patna which served both as a railway and highway bridge.
The highway bridge inclusion was Sir [Link]’s recommendation.
The nonagenarian engineer traversed several miles of rocky area on foot to
survey the site, leaving behind his doly (palanquin) carriers gasping as they
endeavoured to catch up with him. He preferred to stay in the seven-carriage
train where he ate and slept for days together, instead of going back to a
comfortable guesthouse back in Patna, in order to save time and complete
the survey early. The scorching heat did not help, but Sir [Link] was
undeterred.
Railway Board officers and army officers like General Thimmaiah and
General Thorat were happy with the work. Sir [Link] had even
surveyed the region on an airplane as well as on boats. He also visited Nepal,
Assam and Bengal for a proper view of the site and the course of the river and
its tributaries. Satisfied with the thorough survey, he then held discussions
with knowledgeable persons and consulted records. Finally, he fixed Mokham
as the suitable site for the construction of the bridge. Railway Minister
Gopalswamy Iyengar wrote to Sir [Link], congratulating him over the
clarity, simplicity and appropriateness of the report.

285
 Jewels of Administration

The gigantic bridge over the great river was completed between September
1953 and March 1959. Sir [Link]’s suggestion to construct a tunnel
below the bridge for navigation of boats was accepted. The bridge cost Rs. 14
crores. The Farraka Barrage, completed later, was also started in his lifetime.
Sir [Link]’s efforts to establish a car factory in Bangalore
culminating in the creation of HAL deserves worthy mention. Similarly, he
endeavoured for the setting up of Premier Automobiles in Bombay. He was
President of the Indian Economic Conference held at Karachi in 1924 and the
President of Indian Science Congress in 1923.
Sir [Link]’s birth centenary was celebrated at
Bangalore in 1961 and on the occasion, a felicitation volume
titled MV was presented to him by former Dewan N Madhava Rao,
the Chairman of the Commemoration Volume Sub-Committee.
A Centenary Commemoration stamp was also issued by the
Postal Department to mark
Commemoration stamp the occasion further.
Sir [Link] was recognised
for his unique service with the country’s
highest civilian award, the ‘Bharat
Ratna’, conferred on him in 1955. In
1911, he was conferred the ‘CIE’ at Delhi Commemoration Envelope
Durbar, the KCIE in 1915, and also a fellowship from the Indian Institute of
Science. The honorary degrees conferred on him include the LLD (1931) from
Bombay University, LLD (1948) from Mysore University, D Litt (1937) from
Banaras Hindu University, D Sc (1944) from Patna University, D Sc (1947)
from Allahabad University and D Sc (1958) from Jodhavpur University. He
was also elected Honorary Member of the Indian Institute of Engineers in
1942, Honorary Member of Indian Institute of Science and Honorary fellow of
the Institute of Town Planners in 1953.
A man who always put the betterment of the country before anything else
and work hard to this end result in any capacity even in his 80s and 90s,
Sir [Link]’s assiduousness, dedication and commitment to public
service inspired those around him to work hard and honestly themselves.
A ‘man in a hurry’, he was an ideal administrator even in his nineties, who
laid the foundation of modern Mysore. The programmes initiated by him in
Mysore, be it in agriculture, irrigation, education, industry or social change
helped the State progress with accelerated speed.

Tribute to a Great Innovator

The Sir [Link] Canal of the Cauvery and the Sir [Link]
Industrial and Technological Museum (Bangalore) are tributes to the great
administrator and innovator. The Technological University is Karnataka is
also named after him.

286
 Sir M. Visvesvaraya

Sir [Link] also penned many books which serve as food for
thought for any public-spirited person. These include notable books like
Restructuring India (1920), Unemployment in India its Cause and Cure (1932),
Planned Economy for India (1934), Memories of my Working Life (1951) and
Sayings Wise and Witty (1957). The Reports submitted by him on various
issues, projects and policies form a longer list.
On 14th April 1962, when the centenarian statesman passed away in
Bangalore, the entire country expressed its sorrow to the departed soul with
due respect.

The Knight Commander of

The Bharat Ratna Medal
The Indian Empire Medal

The Samadhi of Sir [Link] at Muddenahalli

287
 Jewels of Administration

Sir M. Visvesvaraya receiving Bharat Ratna

from Dr. Rajendra Prasad,

Sir M. Visvesvaraya with Jawaharlal Nehru

A visit to Indian Institute of Science,
Bangalore by Sir M.V.
Cauvery River near Hogenakkal

288