Every year, on September 15, India celebrates National Engineers’ Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of the revered engineer, economist, statesman and writer, Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya.Visvesvaraya, renowned for his revolutionary contributions to the field of engineering, was known for his innovative designs, visionary planning, and practical solutions, many of which continue to benefit India to this day.Diwan of Mysore to Bharat Ratna: Life of M VisvesvarayaVisvesvaraya was born in 1861 in Muddenahalli village in Karnataka. For his higher education, he moved to Chennai to pursue a BA (Bachelor of Arts) from the University of Madras. He later shifted his academic focus towards science and joined the College of Science in Pune to pursue civil engineering.Visvesvaraya served as the Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918, undertaking several infrastructural and developmental projects. His contribution to the development of the princely state earned him widespread recognition, and he is often remembered as the “Father of Modern Mysore”.M Visvesvaraya’s is known for his pioneering contribution towards flood management, irrigation and engineering.Following the 1908 Musi river floods, he designed reservoirs such as Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar and introduced flood-control measures, while also helping protect Visakhapatnam port from sea erosion.As the Chief Engineer of Mysore, he played a major role in building the Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) Dam, which helped irrigation and agriculture bloom in the region. Additionally, he introduced automatic sluice gates for better water regulation.Story continues below this adHe has also authored few influential books such as “Planned Economy for India promoted industrialization and infrastructure”, “Reconstructing India emphasized education and governance”, and “Memoirs of My Working Life”.To honour the success of his industrial and social projects, the Government of India conferred the highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna on him in 1955.A decade of tech-innovation driven by engineersAccording to PIB, India produces around 1.5 million engineering graduates every year. In today’s rapidly evolving world, engineers play a central role in the country’s development, from infrastructure and strategic technologies to digital transformation and innovation. From building highways, bridges, metro networks, dams and power systems to contributing to defence, space, nuclear energy, artificial intelligence, robotics and digital platforms such as Aadhaar, UPI and DigiLocker, engineers have become an integral part of the betterment of everyday lives.As of 2026, India is home to 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), 31 National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and 26 Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), further strengthening the country’s engineering and technical education ecosystem.Story continues below this adAs the world progresses towards AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, renewable energy and deep tech, Indian engineers are playing an increasingly important role in helping the country achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.