Mangaluru: Banking is fascinating. Not only does it provide the lifeblood of capitalism — namely, credit — but its history is uniquely coherent. Railroads, automobiles, telephones, businesses, airplanes, oil companies, and technology firms all came after banks, including the “Civil Engineers”. For the first time bankers belonging to State Bank of Mysore-Zonal Office, Mangaluru joined hands with Civil Engineers belonging to the Association of Consulting Civil Engineers (India)-(ACCE-(I), Mangaluru Centre in paying respect to a prominent and legendary engineer, scholar and statesman, and recipient of Bharat Ratna-Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya (Sir M V), who also happens to be the Founder of State Bank of Mysore, in celebrating 155th birth anniversary of Sir MV, at Hotel Taj Gateway.
“Hard work performed in a disciplined manner will in most cases keep the worker fit and also prolong his life. The way to build a nation is to build a good citizen. The majority of the citizens should be efficient, of good character and possess a reasonable high sense of duty. To give real service, you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money” – these were the words of the greatest engineer India has ever seen, Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya- the engineer whose birthday is celebrated as “Engineers Day” all over India.
Visvesvaraya is often used as a metaphor here for an extremely intelligent person. We say “He has Visvesvaraya’s brain “. Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya (1860-1962) was a prominent Indian engineer, scholar, visionary, and statesman. Early in his career, he designed the flood protection system for the city of Hyderabad. He served as the Chief Engineer of Mysore in 1909 and the Dewan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918. As an advocate of the modern industrial civilization and national planning, Visvesvaraya led the establishment of the Bhadravati Iron Works, the Krishnarajasagar Dam (KRS) across the Cauvery river, the Mysore Soap Factory, the Sri Jayachamarajendra Polytechnic Institute, the Bangalore Agricultural University, the State Bank of Mysore, The Century Club, the Mysore Chamber of Commerce, and numerous other institutions and industrial ventures.
Visvesvaraya published numerous short books on rural development, industrialization, state planning, and nation-building. He was a recipient of the Bharat Ratna, India’s topmost civilian award, in 1955 and was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Indian Empire by King George V for his contributions to the public good.
To identify the great works done by the hard working engineers and to mark the birthday of Sir MV, ‘Engineers Day’ is celebrated recognizing his contributions in the field of hydel energy in India. Like every year, this year also ACCE (I), which comprises of efficient technocrats who have been serving the local community and the nation, acknowledged the work of this great engineer by celebrating this day jubilantly, along with the fraternity of State Bank of Mysore, who also paid respect to their beloved Founder.
The function was called to order by Er Vinayak Pai-Chairman of ACCE, followed by invoking God’s blessings through a prayer song rendered by Er Viman Keerthi Jain. K Jayamohan Thampi-DGM of SBM welcomed the gathering and also paying respect to Sir MV said, ” Sir Visvesvaraya had proved that with dedication, will power and commitment even the impossible could be accomplished. Bharat Ratna Sir M V was not just an engineer, but an individual who was ready to take any work that would contribute to nation building. A genius by his own means, Sir M Vs works remain a tremendous source of inspiration and guiding light for engineers at all times. And Sir MV as Founder of our Bank we feel extremely proud of this genius scholar and statesman”.
Light symbolizes knowledge while darkness represents ignorance. Knowledge removes ignorance just as light removes darkness. Furthermore, knowledge is a lasting inner wealth by which all outer achievement can be accomplished. Hence we light the lamp in reverence to knowledge as the greatest of all forms of wealth.
Whilst lighting the lamp we thus pray: “Deepajyothi parabrahma, Deepa sarva tamopahaha, Deepena saadhyate saram,Sandhyaa deepo namostute” (I prostrate to the dawn/dusk lamp; whose light is the Knowledge Principle (the Supreme Lord), which removes the darkness of ignorance and by which all can be achieved in life)- thus the inauguration of the “Engineers’ Day celebration was done by garlanding the portrait of Sir M Visvesvaraya and by lighting the traditional lamp.
The honours were done by chief guest Venkateswarlu Sistla- General Manager-SBM, along with other dignitaries on the dais namely- Er T Vinayak Pai-Chairman, ACCE, Er Narendra Prabhu-Jt secretary-ACCE, Er Premanand- Treasurer-ACCE, Ramachandra Bhat- Assistant General Manager-SBM (Mangaluru region), K Jayamohan Tampi-DGM-SBM, K Narasimha Bhat- AGM-SBM (Karwar region). Addressing the gathering, Chief guest Venkateswarlu said, “Sir MV had dedicated his life towards nation building and he epitomized all the qualities of an ideal engineer throughout this life. Hence it is but natural for India to honor him by celebrating his birthday as Engineers’ Day. We also feel proud to celebrate his birthday being the Founder of our Bank”.
“If one has to list some of the most influential engineers from the history of contemporary India, Sir M Visvesvaraya would undoubtedly be on the top of the list. His engineering works and contribution towards nation-building was spread across the nation throughout his career spanning over 30 years as engineer, 20 years as administrator and 20 years as adviser/statesman. Sir MVs call to the nation was Industrialise or perish. So, as we all pay salutations to Sir M V, let us make lives better through hard work and through the Principle of Work is Worship which Sir M V advocated” added Venkateswarlu.
Through power-point presentation, Narasimha Bhat-AGM of SBM briefed about State Bank of Mysore and all the services that it has to offer to its customers, like various kinds of loans, and the presentation was highly applauded by the audience. In his presidential remarks, Er Vinayak Pai thanked the fraternity of State Bank of Mysore for their friendly association with ACCE, in hosting the function and for their kind hospitality. Er Vijaya Vishnu Mayya of ACCE, the pro-compere of the occasion with his witty punchlines kept the programme quite entertaining.
Concluding this report in the lighter side of vein as said by Mark Twain, “A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining, but wants it back the minute it begins to rain”. Long live the Bankers and the Civil Engineers!
