M Visveswaraiah
Saturday January 8 2005 08:14 IST
By Karmayogi
If the builders of the
nation are to be listed, Viswesvaraiah will figure in any list, however
short-listed it is. He was an eminent administrator who became an eminent
Indian.
By training, he was a civil engineer. By temperament, he was a nation builder. His
forte was to spot out enterprising young men and offer them a viable suggestion
of entrepreneurship.
His photograph is ubiquitous in the state of Karnataka. Someone stayed in an
old fashioned hotel in Bangalore. He saw the photograph of M. Viswesvaraiah
over the reception counter.
He asked why it was there. The reply was, “You may find this hotel
old-fashioned, but it was originally conceived as a modern hotel and the
conception was that of the then Dewan. That is why his photo adorns the
wall.”
When he passed away in 1962, the nation mourned the loss. He was 102 by then.
On his table was the latest edition of Collins Dictionary. He was austere,
patriotic. His character was exemplary. During his tours, he used candles to do
his reading and writing.
When the official work was over, he moved to personal reading. His candles were
labelled 'official' and 'personal'. He switched over to
personal candles for personal work.
His funeral procession was crawling very slowly as innumerable wreaths were
offered to his last remains. The organisers were impatient as it was nearing
sunset, and ordered it not to stop at all kinds of places but only where a
wreath awaited the coffin.
Someone explained, “We are stopping only at the establishments that he
helped to found, not stopping at places where wreaths await. That would take a
longer time.” After his education, he was in Bombay and Hyderabad. The Maharaja called
him to Mysore to be the Chief Engineer. He later became Dewan.
His mind was prolific. He applied it actively to all aspects of Mysore life and extended it
to the life of India. Those were the days that Bharat Ratna
went to original minds. Scholars, distinguished men of character, and nation
builders received it. The nation was honoured by their receiving it.
Among the politicians, only statesmen were thought of for that honour. Politics
never entered into the consideration of receiving Bharat Ratna. M. Viswesvaraiah
was a distinguished recipient of the first honour of the nation. The great
qualities of this rare individual are values of the Spirit.
He was earlier knighted by the British throne. But he was above politics. His
achievements are great, and they are not merely national, but human. The human
greatness finds expression in those who are in seats of power. In him, it found
a scintillating expression.
Whether one is in politics or administration or public life, one rises to the
acme of true fame he does not seek if his values are spiritual.