Sir M. Vishvesvaraya was born in the Kolar district of Mysore on 15th September 1861. His father Sriniva Sastry was a scholar and devoted his time to the study of Hindu scriptures and his mother, Venkatachalama was a pious lady and had a strong character. Sir V.M completed his primary education in Muddenahalli and Chikkaballapur. Visvesvaraya later secured a B.A degree with distinction In 1880 from Central College. He pursued his further higher studies in Engineering from the Science College of Poona, where he topped and secured L.C.E and F.C.I. Due to his outstanding academic performance, he was later appointed as an Assistant Engineer in the Bombay P.W.D department in 1884. Visvesvaraya was in charge of irrigation including repairs to and distributaries on the river channels of Panjra Rover in Khandesh and Nasik Districts. After working on some major water projects in various districts, Visvesvaraya was appointed as the Executive Engineer, Poona irrigation District. As years went by, he worked and prepared various water schemes under his tenure and for several years, and superseded a large number of senior engineers. However due to some discontent, he decided to retire from the Bombay Government services in 1908. After retirement, he decided to spend about 2 years abroad and toured many countries of the West. However, he returned back to India while adhering to an urgent invitation from the Nizam of Hyderabad which was related to the destruction of a part of Hyderabad city due to the heavy floods in the State in 1908. Visvesvaraya prepared a scheme to protect the city from floods by constructing two reservoir dams in two different river bodies. He also made a number of visits later on to the state, for sharing his advice on other important topics and issues. In the year 1909, Visvesvaraya joined Mysore Service of Chief Engineer after receiving assurance. During his tenure as the Chief Engineer, he tried to introduce the block system of Irrigation under the Marikanive Irrigation Dam. The next project he took up was the construction of a huge reservoir across the river Cauvery to provide water for Irrigation and electric power. In 1912, Visvesvaraya took over the highest office in the state as the Dewan of Mysore with the aim to plan, promote and encourage developments, primarily in education, industries, commerce and public work. Within a year of taking office as Dewan, Visvesvaraya secured a notable improvement in the political status of Mysore by effecting changes in the Instrument of Transfer. Encouragement was given to start new cottage and village industries by granting subsidies and to start private workshops by granting loans. He was also responsible for starting various technical institutes, namely the Engineering college at Bangalore, Chamarajendra Institute of Technical Institute at Mysore, industrial schools etc. After Visvesvaraya took over as the Dewan of Mysore, he took up the construction of additional Railway lines. A local Railway department was organized and other officers and engineers were also recruited for training. Few years later Visvesvaraya feared that by ignoring production and merit, production would be hampered and the efficiency of administration would suffer. He also opposed the Miller Committee and tendered his resignation from the post of Dewan. Visvesvaraya resigned with the expression of his sense of pride and satisfaction that there had been no discrepancy between the originals he fessed and their practices. After retirement from Government services, Visvesvaraya served as Chairman of a number of commissions and committees. In 1921, he was appointed as the Chairman of the Technical and Industrial Education Committee set up by the Government of Bombay. He also headed a committee formed by the Government of India in 1929 to report on the complaints regarding the operation of Sukkur Barrage in Sindh. Visvesvaraya’s foreign tours to the advanced countries of the West and East influenced him in following certain policies within his limited jurisdiction in the latter years of Government services, especially in Mysore and in other matters of interest after his retirement. Visvesvaraya in following years worked vehemently in the promotion of Indian industries as the president of the All India Manufacturers Association since 1941. He along with his team toured the industrially advanced countries, embodying policies and practices which might help industrial development in the country. Similarly in 1949, the Visvesvaraya headed A.I.M.O provided various pamphlets. They drew up plans of how small scale industries and subsidiary occupations could help to supplement the income of farmers in various ways. In 1934 Visvesvaraya prepared a scheme of Rural Reconstruction in India with the objective of raising the income level of Indian villagers and the reconstruction of their earning power and industrial life. This scheme aimed at increasing income in villages by increasing production from agriculture, by increasing subsidiary occupations and industries and by increasing the hours and output of work as practiced by the committee. Visvesvaraya as the president of A.I.M.O also prepared a scheme for rural industrialisation and submitted it to the Government of India which was circulated across the country in 1949. Furthermore, Visvesvaraya was a member of the princess and dewans committee, during his tenure as the dewan of Mysore, which was constituted to consider and make recommendations about the future of Indian State in relation with the Government of India. In 1923, he presided over the Indian Science and Congress at its annual session held in Lucknow and again over the Indian Economic Conference held in Bombay in the very next year. The centenary of Sir M.Visvesvaraya was celebrated on 15th September 1960 at Bangalore. It was inaugurated by then Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and presided over by the Governor, Jayachamaraja Wadeyar, Maharaja of Mysore. A commemoration containing appreciative write-ups, reminiscences and homage by eminent contemporaries and admirers was published on this occasion. All of his achievements, his wonderful career, the influence he exercised over three generations of his countrymen were highlighted in this issue. Sir Visvesvaraya passed away on the 14th of April, 1962 in Bangalore. A state funeral was given to him and the Government of Mysire issued a gazette mourning his death. Sir Visvesvaraya had a long and active life and throughout this period, his only motto was service to the people to the best of his capacity. The cremation took place in his native village of Muddenahalli. He was indeed a great engineer, outstanding patriot and a devoted statesman.