Every year on 15 September, India celebrates National Engineers’ Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, one of India’s greatest engineers, statesmen and nation-builders. M. Visvesvaraya was a pioneering Indian civil engineer, statesman and the 19th Diwan of Mysore. He is widely remembered as the “Father of Modern Mysore” and is also associated with the early development of economic planning in India. But remembering him should not be limited to celebrating his birthday or posting messages on social media. Engineers’ Day should also be a day for India to think about what engineering really means, what kind of engineers we are producing today, and how engineering can be used to build a stronger, safer, more sustainable and better-planned India.

Engineering, at its heart, is about showing the way and making things work. It is about understanding the resources available to humanity and using them in the most efficient, effective, safe and sustainable manner. An engineer does not merely construct a building, design a machine, write software or repair a system. An engineer studies a problem, understands its causes, finds a practical solution and creates something that can improve people’s lives. This is the larger spirit that we can see in the life and work of Visvesvaraya.

Born on 15 September 1861 in Muddenahalli, Karnataka, Visvesvaraya became one of the most respected engineers of his generation. His work was particularly important in water management, irrigation, flood protection and infrastructure. He later served as the Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918, where his contribution went far beyond engineering. He encouraged education, industrialisation, banking, infrastructure and economic development. In 1955, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour. His birth anniversary is now celebrated across India as Engineers’ Day.

One of his most famous engineering achievements was his association with the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam across the Kaveri River. The project became an important source of irrigation and water supply and contributed to the development of the Mysore region. His work demonstrated how engineering could transform the economic and social life of an entire region. He was also associated with the development of an effective flood protection and drainage system for Hyderabad, particularly in response to the devastating floods of the Musi River. His engineering approach focused on understanding the problem and creating systems that could protect people and property rather than simply reacting after disasters occurred.

Visvesvaraya also developed and patented automatic sluice gates, which improved the regulation of water and helped control reservoir levels. His engineering thinking was therefore not simply about constructing large structures. It was about developing systems that could use natural resources intelligently. His contribution to the industrial development of Mysore was equally significant. During his time as Diwan, he supported industrial and institutional development, including initiatives associated with the Mysore Iron and Steel Works, Mysore Soap Factory and State Bank of Mysore. His larger vision was that engineering, education, industry and administration had to work together for national development.

This is where Visvesvaraya becomes extremely relevant to India today.

India has changed enormously since his time. We now have millions of engineering graduates, advanced universities, sophisticated construction technology, computers, artificial intelligence, modern materials, satellite technology, electric vehicles, renewable energy and enormous industrial capabilities. Yet, despite all this progress, many of the basic problems that engineers are expected to solve remain around us.

Every year we see cities struggling with flooding during heavy rainfall, water scarcity during summer, damaged roads, broken bridges, poor drainage, unplanned construction, inadequate footpaths, traffic congestion, overflowing waste and insufficient public infrastructure. In many cities and villages, roads, streets, drainage systems and footpaths are not properly planned together. Sometimes a road is constructed and later dug up for water pipelines, electricity cables or drainage work. A footpath may be built without considering pedestrians, street vendors, accessibility or drainage. During heavy rainfall, water accumulates because the drainage system was not properly integrated with the road and surrounding development. These are not simply political problems. They are engineering and planning problems.

• When a city floods, we should not only ask how much rain fell. We should also ask whether the drainage system was designed for the area’s rainfall patterns, whether natural water channels were blocked, whether construction has taken place over drainage paths, whether the city’s expansion was properly planned, whether water bodies were preserved and whether the infrastructure was properly maintained.
• When a road breaks, we should not simply repair it and move on. We should ask about the quality of materials, the soil conditions, drainage, construction standards, traffic load, supervision, maintenance and the design life of the road.
• When a bridge develops structural problems, we should ask who designed it, who approved it, who inspected the materials, who supervised the construction and who was responsible for maintenance.

Engineering must therefore be connected with responsibility.

Government also has a major role in this process. Much of India’s public infrastructure is funded by taxpayers. Roads, bridges, drainage systems, government buildings, water projects, public transport systems and other infrastructure are built using public resources. Therefore, the quality of engineering decisions directly affects the lives and money of ordinary citizens.

The government should not look at infrastructure merely as projects that have to be completed and inaugurated. Infrastructure should be seen as long-term national assets. A road that lasts for decades is more valuable than a road that needs repeated repairs. A drainage system that prevents flooding is more valuable than an emergency response after every flood. A building that consumes less energy throughout its lifetime may be more valuable than a cheaper building that creates enormous operating costs for decades.

This is where the philosophy of Visvesvaraya becomes important. He understood the importance of planning, efficiency, infrastructure, education and industrial development. His thinking was not restricted to one engineering project. He was thinking about how different parts of society could work together to create development.

The Engineering Education India Needs

India produces a very large number of engineering graduates, but we must honestly ask whether every graduate receives enough practical engineering education.

A civil engineering student can spend years studying structural design, surveying, soil mechanics, concrete technology, transportation engineering and other subjects. But how much time do they actually spend at construction sites? How many students learn to understand real soil conditions, inspect concrete work, read construction drawings at a site, check workmanship, understand drainage layouts or observe how a road is actually constructed?

Similarly, engineering students in other disciplines need practical exposure. Mechanical engineers should work with machines and manufacturing systems. Electrical engineers should work with real electrical systems. Automobile engineers should understand engines, batteries, electric motors and vehicle systems. Electronics engineers should build and test actual devices. Computer engineers should create real applications and systems rather than only completing examinations.

A degree should not be the end of engineering education. It should be the beginning.

Engineering colleges should encourage students to spend more time in laboratories, workshops, construction sites, factories, research centres and real projects. Students should be encouraged to experiment, make mistakes, test ideas and improve them.

Instead of only asking a student, “What marks did you get?”, we should also ask, “What have you built?”

Why Can’t Students Solve Indian Problems?

India has no shortage of intelligent students. Every year engineering students develop projects involving solar energy, electric vehicles, robotics, water purification, agricultural technology, waste management, artificial intelligence and other areas. But many student projects end when the college exhibition ends. This needs to change.

Governments at the central, state and local levels could create stronger systems through which students can work directly on real problems faced by cities and villages. Municipalities, panchayats, public works departments and other government institutions could identify practical problems and invite engineering colleges to develop solutions.

A village could present a water-management problem to an engineering college. A municipality could ask students to design a better waste-management system. A city could challenge students to redesign dangerous road intersections. A public transport authority could ask students to develop solutions for traffic congestion. Engineers could be encouraged to develop affordable housing suited to different climates.

If a student develops a genuinely useful solution, government should provide opportunities to test, improve and implement it.

There are already many student innovations across India, but the larger ecosystem of support can become much stronger. Students need mentorship, laboratories, funding, industry partnerships and opportunities for pilot projects.

The government should not only be a purchaser of finished technology.

It can also become an enabler of young Indian innovators.

Learn From the World, But Also Learn From India

There is also an important question about architecture and engineering education.

India should absolutely learn from Europe, America and other technologically advanced countries. We should study their modern architecture, sustainable buildings, public transportation, urban planning, water management, renewable-energy systems and construction technologies. But learning from the world should not mean forgetting India’s own knowledge.

India has a long architectural and engineering tradition adapted to different climates and geographical conditions. Traditional Indian buildings often incorporated courtyards, natural ventilation, shaded areas, thick walls, locally available materials and methods of managing heat and water. Instead of treating traditional architecture simply as history, modern engineering students should study it scientifically.

• What made traditional buildings cooler?
• How did they use sunlight?
• How did they manage ventilation?
• How did they use local materials?
• How did traditional communities manage water?
• What can modern engineering improve?

The answer should not be ancient versus modern.

It should be ancient knowledge + modern science.

India can combine traditional wisdom with modern structural engineering, materials science, solar technology, sensors, energy systems and modern construction techniques.

Examples from Ladakh and the work associated with innovators such as Sonam Wangchuk show how local climate and environmental conditions can influence building design and energy use. The lesson is not that every Indian building should copy Ladakh. The lesson is that engineers should design according to local conditions.

A building in Ladakh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Kashmir, Assam and Telangana should not necessarily be designed in exactly the same way. India’s diversity should become a strength of Indian engineering.

The Engineer of the Future Must Be an Eco-Friendly Engineer

The future engineer must also understand sustainability.

• Civil Engineers can design energy-efficient buildings, sustainable roads, better drainage systems, rainwater harvesting systems, wastewater treatment facilities and climate-resilient infrastructure.
• Mechanical Engineers can develop machines that consume less energy and produce less waste.
• Electrical Engineers can develop solar power systems, energy storage, smart grids and efficient electricity distribution.
• Automobile Engineers can work on electric vehicles, battery technology, efficient public transportation and cleaner mobility.
• Electronics Engineers can develop sensors that monitor water quality, air pollution, energy consumption and infrastructure conditions.
• Computer Engineers can create systems that help cities manage traffic, electricity, water, waste and public services more efficiently.
• Software Engineers can build digital systems, AI tools and applications that improve public services, education, healthcare, transportation and resource management.
• Chemical Engineers can develop cleaner industrial processes, sustainable materials, water-treatment systems and methods to reduce industrial pollution.
• Agricultural Engineers can work on water-efficient irrigation, farm machinery, renewable energy and technologies that reduce agricultural waste.
• Environmental Engineers can help India address some of its most serious challenges involving air, water, soil and waste.

Therefore, sustainability should not be treated as a separate subject that only environmental engineers study.

It should become part of the thinking of every engineer.

Solar Energy, Electric Vehicles and the Next India

India has enormous potential for solar energy. Engineers can think beyond installing solar panels on individual buildings and consider how solar energy can be integrated into schools, government buildings, factories, transport infrastructure and rural development.

Automobile engineers can contribute to the transition toward electric vehicles. But electric mobility itself requires engineering solutions involving batteries, charging infrastructure, electricity generation, recycling and public transportation.

The goal should not simply be to replace every petrol vehicle with an electric vehicle.

We should also ask whether cities can reduce unnecessary travel through better planning, walking infrastructure, cycling infrastructure and efficient public transportation. This again brings us back to integrated engineering.

A city is a system.

Roads, buildings, drainage, water, electricity, transportation, waste management and green spaces are all connected.

The Role of Engineers in Planning Cities and Villages

India’s future cannot be built only by constructing more buildings. We need better planning.

A city should have properly planned roads, footpaths, drainage, public transportation, water systems, electricity, waste management, parks and public spaces.

Villages also need engineering and planning. Rural development can include water conservation, irrigation, renewable energy, sustainable housing, roads, storage facilities, agricultural technology and digital connectivity.

Engineers, architects, environmental experts, urban planners, economists and government administrators need to work together.

The question should not be:

“What project can we build?”

The question should be:

“What does this community actually need, and how can we build it efficiently and sustainably?”

That is the difference between simply constructing and genuinely developing.

What Leaders Can Learn From Visvesvaraya

Indian political leaders and administrators can learn an important lesson from Visvesvaraya: long-term planning matters.

Infrastructure should not be planned only around short-term political cycles. A bridge, dam, road, railway system, water network or city can serve generations.

Government needs to encourage engineering talent, research and innovation. Young engineers should be given opportunities to participate in solving public problems. Public institutions should collaborate more closely with universities and engineering colleges.

At the same time, government must maintain strict standards for construction quality. Transparent procurement, proper material testing, independent inspection, qualified supervision and regular maintenance are essential.

Good engineering can fail if governance fails. And good government planning can fail if engineering standards are ignored.

The two must work together.

What Students Can Learn From Visvesvaraya

For engineering students, Visvesvaraya’s life offers a simple lesson: do not become satisfied with a degree. Become capable.

Learn the theory, but understand how it works in the real world. Visit sites. Work in laboratories. Learn about materials. Learn how machines operate. Understand the environment. Study India’s problems. Read about engineering achievements around the world. Study India’s traditional knowledge. Experiment with new ideas.

And most importantly, learn to ask questions.

• Why is this road designed this way?
• Why does this building consume so much electricity?
• Why does this area flood every year?
• Why is water wasted?
• Why does this machine require so much energy?
• Why does this bridge need frequent repairs?
• Why can this process not be made cheaper?
• Why can’t this waste be reused?

Engineering begins with questions.

Read: Planned Economy for India

Anyone who wants to understand Visvesvaraya beyond his engineering achievements should also read his book Planned Economy for India, published in 1934.

The book provides an opportunity to understand how Visvesvaraya thought about India’s economic development, industrialisation, planning and future. It should not be read simply as an old historical document. Students and readers can read it to understand the thinking of a nation-builder and then compare his ideas with India’s situation today.

• Which of his concerns remain relevant?
• What has changed?
• What did India achieve after independence?
• What challenges remain?
• And what should the next generation do differently?

Reading Visvesvaraya should therefore be the beginning of further reading, not the end of it. Young Indians should explore his life, his engineering work, his administration and his ideas about India’s development.

Let Engineers Build the India We Need

National Engineers’ Day should therefore become more than a celebration. It should become a reminder.

India needs engineers who can build stronger bridges, better roads, safer buildings, efficient water systems and well-planned cities. It needs engineers who understand sustainability, renewable energy, electric mobility, waste management and climate resilience. It needs engineers who can combine modern technology with India’s traditional knowledge. It needs engineers who are willing to work not only for multinational companies but also to solve problems in Indian cities, villages and communities.

Most importantly, India needs an environment where young engineers can experiment, innovate and build.

Visvesvaraya showed that an engineer can become much more than a technical professional. An engineer can become a planner, an administrator, an innovator and a nation-builder. Today, India has far greater technology and resources than Visvesvaraya’s generation could have imagined. What we need now is the same sense of purpose.

This is also why Visvesvaraya placed such importance on education and practical knowledge. He wrote:

“Progress in every country depends mainly on the education of its people. Without education, we are a nation of children. The difference between one man and another, apart from birth and social position, consists in the extent of knowledge, general and practical, acquired by him. We may safely assume that man in all countries within certain limits start with the same degree of intelligence. A civilised nation is distinguished from an uncivilised one by the extent of its acquired intelligence and skill.”— Visvesvaraya

These words remain highly relevant today. Education is not simply about obtaining a degree or completing an engineering course. It is about acquiring knowledge, practical skills, intelligence and the ability to apply them. For engineers, education should ultimately give them the ability to understand problems, design solutions, use resources efficiently and create something useful for society.

This is where the real responsibility of engineering education begins. If India produces millions of engineers but many lack practical skills or opportunities to apply their knowledge, the purpose of education remains incomplete. The goal should be to create engineers who can use what they learn to solve India’s real challenges and contribute to the progress of the country.

Engineering should not only be about building what is possible. It should be about building what is necessary, responsible, sustainable and useful for society.

The roads we build, the bridges we construct, the water we conserve, the energy we generate, the cities we plan and the technologies we develop will determine the India that future generations inherit.

So, on this National Engineers’ Day, instead of only asking how many engineers India produces, perhaps we should ask a more important question:

What kind of engineers is India producing, and what kind of India are they going to build?