National Engineers’ Day: PM Modi pays tribute to M. Visvesvaraya, hails engineers as ‘Karmayogis’
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tribute to legendary Indian engineer and statesman Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya on the occasion of National Engineers’ Day and lauded the contributions of engineers in building, innovating and creating solutions for a better tomorrow.
National Engineers’ Day is observed across India every year on September 15 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, one of the country’s foremost civil engineers and a celebrated statesman whose contribution to engineering and nation-building continues to be remembered.
Born on September 15, 1861, Visvesvaraya, also known by his initials M.V., is widely regarded as the ‘Father of Modern Mysore’. He played a significant role in the development of major public infrastructure projects and became an enduring symbol of engineering excellence in India.
Taking to X, PM Modi extended his greetings to engineers across the country and paid tribute to Visvesvaraya.
“Happy Engineers Day to all remarkable engineers, the people who build, innovate and provide solutions for a better tomorrow. Tributes to Sir M. Visvesvaraya, whose engineering genius and nation-building vision continue to inspire,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi also shared a video in which he highlighted the role of engineers in turning ideas and aspirations into tangible achievements and described them as ‘Karmayogis’ working towards the progress of the country.
“Engineers do not merely build machines; they are the Karmayogis who transform dreams into reality. I applaud and commend every engineer of India. India has been home to many such engineers who turned the unimaginable into the imaginable and presented feats that are hailed as marvels in the world of engineering,” he said.
In the video, the Prime Minister also recalled Visvesvaraya’s remarkable legacy and his contribution to India’s engineering heritage.
“In our proud heritage of great engineers, we were also blessed with a priceless gem whose works continue to astonish people even today — and that was Bharat Ratna Dr M. Visvesvaraya. In his honour and memory, September 15 is celebrated as Engineers’ Day. Following in his footsteps, the engineers of our nation have carved a distinct identity for themselves across the entire world. On this occasion, I respectfully salute all engineers and bow to their creative power of nation-building,” PM Modi added.
Visvesvaraya was honoured with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in 1955 in recognition of his monumental contributions to public projects, engineering and society.
He was instrumental in the construction of the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam in Mysore and also played a key role in designing and implementing complex flood protection systems.
The Government of India officially designated September 15 as National Engineers’ Day in 1968, in recognition of Visvesvaraya’s extraordinary contribution to engineering and nation-building.