Who was Sir M. Visvesvaraya?

About Sir M Visvesvaraya:

• Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, widely known as Sir MV, was a distinguished engineer, statesman, and scholar who held the position of Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918.
• He was known as the father of Modern Mysore for his outstanding contribution to society.
• Birth: He was born on 15th September 1861 in Muddenahalli village in Karnataka.
• Education: He completed his Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Madras and completed civil engineering from the College of Science in Pune.
• Contributions:
  • He was the chief engineer responsible for the construction of the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam in Mysore.
  • He designed and patented automatic water floodgates in 1903, which were first installed at the Khadakwasla reservoir in Pune.
  • In 1917, Visvesvaraya established the Government Engineering College in Bengaluru, which was later named University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering in his honour.
  • He was a renowned precursor of economic planning in India.
• Awards:
  • In 1955, the Government of India honoured him with the highest civilian honour — Bharat Ratna for his numerous industrial, economic and social projects.
  • He was also conferred the British knighthood by King George V, earning the title "Sir."

Key Facts about Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) Dam:

• Location: It is located below the confluence of river Kaveri with its tributaries, Hemavati and Lakshmana Tirtha, in the district of Mandya in Karnataka. 
• It is a type of gravity dam.
• Usage:
  • The water from the Dam is used for irrigation in Mysore and Mandya and is the main source of drinking water for Mysore, Mandya and Bengaluru city.
  • It also ensures power supply to the Shivanasamudra hydroelectric power station.
  • The water released from this dam flows into the state of Tamil Nadu and is stored in the Mettur dam in the Salem district. 
• History:
  • The dam was constructed during the rule of the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, and it was named in his honour.
  • The construction of the KRS Dam began in 1911 and it was completed in 1931.
  • The dam was designed by Sir M. Visvesvaraya, a famous Indian engineer.
• Features:
  • It was built using a mixture of surki mortar and limestone. 
  • It is 2,621 meters (8,600 ft) long and 40 meters (130 ft) high.
  • Its reservoir is about 130 Sq. Kms, which was the largest in Asia at the period when it was built.
  • Brindavan Gardens, an ornamental garden, is attached to the dam.