— N B Barthakur
The contributions of Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya for the nation were also immense after his retirement from active Government service about which not much have been discussed. He had served the country with his innovative skill and outstanding success in every field in Bombay PWD, as Chief Engineer and as Dewan (Prime Minister) of Mysore State. In Bombay PWD he rose to the rank next to Chief Engineer which was reserved for British only. For this discrimination he resigned in 1908 after serving the department from 1884. Thereafter, at the request of Maharaja of Mysore, he joined Mysore PWD as Chief Engineer and was subsequently promoted as the Dewan of Mysore. He converted Mysore State as the most developed State of the country during his tenure.
In 1918 he resigned as Dewan of Mysore following a difference of opinion with the Maharaja in respect of reservation policy proposed to be adopted in the State for the backward communities. Visvesvaraya wanted that the downtrodden and the backward people should be empowered by providing better education and skill instead of resorting to reservation for them. He was of the view that there should be no dilution of merit in civil services, and therefore, he was against reservation. As the Dewan, he granted liberal scholarships to backward communities and depressed classes to provide greater opportunities for their education. Special steps were taken to advance the prospects of members of backward communities in Government service. As a consequence of this, education began to spread among the communities hitherto lagging behind. The school going population increased threefold. He was of the view that by ignoring merit and capacity, the productivity would be hampered and the efficiency of the administration would suffer. When he found that the Maharaja was still insistent on reservation, he resigned.
As we see, even after more than sixty years of Independence, the country has failed to empower all sections of people, because of adhering to reservation policies only (for obvious reasons) creating social unrest everywhere in the country.
After Visvesvaraya had freed himself from the shackles of office, the horizon became wide. Opportunities for service and the scope of his activities grew unlimited. He was free to launch himself on any work that was dear to his heart. He had earned for himself a great reputation as a man of high character and integrity who could be expected to discharge works entrusted to him conscientiously without fear or favour.
He had distinguished himself as a specialist in irrigation, river control, dam and canal construction, water supply, drainage, flood control and town planning. His services were in great demand all over the country. Opportunities came seeking him as he was uniquely equipped with technical knowledge and competence, and rich administrative experience rarely found together. Letters were pouring in seeking his advice and guidance in the execution of many projects; he was pressed to accept the Chairmanship of important Committees. It was humanly impossible for him to accede to all these requests. He was eager to conserve his energy and concentrate his attention only in matters of highest importance and priority.
M Visvesvaraya was not a man of politics. He was a great patriot and farsighted statesman who was fully conscious of the disabilities our country was suffering owing to foreign domination. He had bitter personal experience of the obstructive tactics being adopted by the India Government under the British Rule in the economic development of the country.
At the invitation of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Visvesvaraya joined the deputation team to meet the Viceroy at Calcutta. The deputation which included Annie Besant discussed proposals for organising a Round Table Conference between the representatives of Government and political leaders of all parties in the country to find a solution for the urgent political problems which were agitating the public mind in those days. Mahatma Gandhi had already decided to non-cooperate; but was not unwilling to accept any reasonable alternative which might lead to the fulfillment of the urgent demands of the nation. The Viceroy gave no clear indication of a Round Table Conference, but he was not averse to listening to different views. Encouraged by that gesture, Pandit Malaviya influenced Mahatma Gandhi, who has already called upon the people for mass civil disobedience movement. However, he was willing to give a chance even at that stage to the attempts which were being made to bring about a Round Table Conference.
A committee consisting of 21 persons with Sir M Visvesvaraya as Chairman, and MA Jinnah, MR Jayakar and K Natarajan as Secretaries was constituted to interview the Viceroy with a view to impressing on him the urgent need to convene a Round Table Conference to consider the demands of the National Congress including those relating to Swaraj, the Punjab and the Khilafat. To give a fair chance to Visvesvaraya Committee to solve the tangle, the Non-Cooperation movement was temporarily suspended. Unfortunately the Viceroy cold-shouldered the committee’s efforts. Mahatma Gandhi started Civil Disobedience Movement.
In 1922, the Government of India appointed a Committee to formulate a sound Scheme for construction of viceroy’s residence. Central Government Offices, Assembly Buildings etc in the New Capital in Delhi with Sir Malcolm Hailey as Chairman and Visvesvaraya as one of its members. In 1925, the Government of India constituted the Indian Economic Enquiry Committee with Visvesvaraya as Chairman, Rai Bahadur Pandit Karikrishna Kaul, A R Burnet Hust as members and Prof Muir as Secretary to enquire into and report on the economic conditions of the people of India. That Visvesvaraya an Engineer, was chosen to lead the important Economic Affairs Committee, speaks of the confidence and trust the Government and the people had on him. After travelling all over India including Burma which was then a part of India, the Committee which functioned for seven months produced an elaborate report in two volumes. The report became the basis and guide for the Governments in the country to shape their economic and taxation policies.
Other important Committees with Visvesvaraya as Chairman, or Member after his superannuation were Bombay Corporation Retrenchment and Reforms, Karachi Municipal Finance Administration, Bangalore Disturbances Enquiry, Bombay Backbay Reclamation Enquiry, Sukkur Barage Project Enquiry, Irrigation Enquiry Committee and others. Invaluable contributions were made to the country through the reports of these committees on which Governments took actions accordingly.
Visvesvaraya was invited to advise on the reports about improvements to Indore, Gwalior, Baroda, Manvi, Sangli, Ahmednagar, Bhopal, Bhavnagar, Nagpur, Rajkot, Goa and several other cities. He had also solved the severe flood problem of Orissa State at the request of Mahatma Gandhi who visited the State during flood.
Visvesvaraya’s opinion was sought to tender advice on the failure of the Tigre dam in Gwalior State. He advised for installations of automatic gates similar to those installed by him at lake fife at Khadakvasla, Puna and made suitable recommendations for repairing and strengthening all leaks and weak points, which restored the dam. When Visvesvaraya was 92 year old, Prime Minister Pandit Nehru appointed him as the Chairman of the site selection committee for a bridge over Ganga. His suggestion made after extensive field visits and through investigation was accepted by the Government in toto and the bridge was constructed accordingly.
The kaleidoscope of Visvesvaraya provides a new pattern of greatness, every time we view him. From whichever angle he is perceived, his greatness stands out. Now it is his intense patriotism which catches our eye. At the next turn, we are taken in by his attitude to work. With a slight shift, we spot his abiding love for the poor; and yet with another turn, we get an insight into his good health. Facets of his greatness are infinite.
source: assam tribune 15.09.08
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