Rajasevasakta S.

Hiriannaiya

Hard Work and Tenacity of Purpose

"WORK, WORK hard; hard work does not kill;· it is worry that kills." With these stirring words to the
then somewhat lethargic officialdom of Mysore, Sir M. Visvesvaraya began his eventful tenure of
office as Dewan of the State in November 1912. Setting an example of what he preached, he
accomplished in six years what might ordinarily have taken twenty-four.

His book, Memoirs of My Working Life-a characteristic title-gives an account, by no means

exhaustive, of the work done by him in Mysore and abroad; but it reveals only in glimpses the
character and personality of the author.

His first great ·work in Mysore was the construction of the Kannambadi Reservoir across the river
Cauvery. The magnificent lake now known as the Krishnarajasagara, great as it is as a monument of
engineering skill, is greater yet as a political achievement. Under an agreement entered into between
the Governments of Mysore and Madras in 1892, Mysore had to obtain the consent of Madras
before constructing a dam across the river, and accordingly Mysore asked for that consent. Though
Madras readily agreed to the construction of a dam up to a height of 81 feet, it refused to give its
assent to the second stage which was designed to raise it to a height of 124 feet and which alone
would enable the reservoir to discharge its fertilising waters over the arid wastes of the Mandya
uplands. To get its rightful share of the waters of the river, Mysore had thus to fight the mighty British
Government installed in Madras. British Indian politicians interested in delta irrigation were not slow
to start a somewhat artificial agitation against Mysore's claim, and, as if these difficulties were not
sufficiently formidable, a silent whispering campaign went on in some quarters even in Mysore. But
armed with the justness of his cause, Sir. M. Visvesvaraya fought the oppositionists on all fronts and
won through.

When Madras refused to agree to the second stage, Mysore sought under the provisions of the
agreement the intervention of the Government of India, who appointed a retired Judge of the
Allahabad High Court as Arbitrator to hear both Governments, consider the evidence and record a
finding. His decision was substantially in favour of Mysore, and the Government of India gave its
sanction to it. After Sir M. Visvesvaraya's retirement from office, however, the Secretary of State set
aside the decision and reopened the case. After another five years of weary controversy and
negotiation, and mainly through the good offices of Lord Willingdon and Sir C. P. Ramaswami Aiyar
on the side of Madras and Sir Mirza M. Ismail (then Private Secretary to the Maharaja) and
Rajasabhabhushana Karpur Srinivasa Rao for Mysore, a satisfactory agreement was reached and
Mysore's right to the larger reservoir was finally conceded. Sir M. Visvesvaraya was kept in touch
with the negotiations and his prior concurrence was obtained to the final settlement.

Madras's consent to the first stage ·was received in 1911 and construction had to be commenced
immediately. It could not be postponed as the Mysore Government was under a contractual
obligation to deliver on 16th July 1915 assured and larger quantities of electric power to the Kolar
gold mining companies, who on their part had undertaken to pay a higher price for the power
supplied to them. In fact, the first stage of the reservoir was intended mainly for power just as the
second stage was for irrigation. But foundations for the two stages had, for important technical
reasons, to be simultaneous and could not be laid at different periods. But - if Mysore failed to
secure Madras's assent to the second stage? Mysore would then have buried under the river sixty
lakhs of rupees - nearly a fourth of the then revenues of the State! The problem was a very grave
one, but with rare courage and without a moment's hesitation Sir M. Visvesvaraya took the risk and
decreed that the foundations should be laid as for the higher dam, and the works began. As we
know, events have fully justified the robust confidence and optimism of the Dewan.

Some twelve years ago, I happened to visit the dam during the Dasara season. People from all parts
of India and abroad had gathered to see the enchanting garden below. A small crowd from the· far
north in Andhradesa was waiting in front of the image of Goddess Cauvery to offer worship. There
was then no sign or indication anywhere near the dam as to who its author was. Out of sheer
curiosity, I asked one of my boys to ask the visitors who constructed the dam. The answer came
promptly in Telugu: "Was it not the great man Visvesvaraya who built it?"

What need is there for marble monuments when memories of good deeds are enshrined in the
hearts of the people?

One of the many ambitions of Sir M. Visvesvaraya when he held office as Dewan was to staff the
services with competent young men of ability and character. When he was Chief Engineer he was
consulted, and in accordance with his advice the Rules for direct recruitment to the Mysore Civil
Service were revised. He ·was keen that, in order to tone up the intermediate grades, e.g., Amildars,
also, a certain proportion should be directly recruited, the rest being reserved for promotion from
the ranks. It was therefore decided that applications should be called for for the appointment of
probationers in the Revenue, Excise, Education, Agriculture, Industries and Commerce, Prisons,
Gardens and other Departments. When received they were considered by the Heads of Departments
and the Secretaries concerned and, after approval in Council, the papers were given to me for
preparing a note for the submission of the case to His Highness the Maharaja. Going through them, I
found that the names of several young men; whose University records were distinctly better than
those of some of the recommended candidates., were not in the approved list. Thinking the matter
over, I did not consider it proper to bring it to the notice of the Dewan., as it would have meant
embarrassing him in his relations with the Members of Council and other high officers whose co-
operation was essential in very many other questions of greater importance to the State. So I
prepared the usual note and after its approval the fair copy went up for his signature. After signing it
he sent for me and, with satisfaction on his face, he asked: "Are you not happy over this?" I ·promptly
said, "No." "How do you mean?" "I mean what I say." "Why ?” " Some very good young men have
been left out and others have come in - I don't know how." (It may be remarked, parenthetically, that
he had done me the honour of discussing the scheme on several occasions with me and knew that I
had enthusiastically supported it). He stared at me for some seconds and then, scoring out the
signature which he had affixed to the note, returned it to me to revise it strictly according to the
qualifications of the young men. I did so and gave a revised list which he took to the Council, got the
approval of the Members and handed it back to me saying, "Are you happy now?" The list was finally
approved by His Highness, and the young men were appointed strictly according to merit.

How are conditions in India now in this respect?

The Dasara Durbars of the Mysore Palace are amongst the most colourful ceremonial functions· in
the world. In the days of. the British regime an added touch of colour was imparted· to the Durbar on
Mahanavami day by the presence of the Resident, of high British civil and military officers, the latter
in brilliant uniform; and of European ladies in their gorgeous dresses. The arrival and departure of
the Resident were regulated by an elaborate ritual prescribed by the Governor-General. From his
residence in Government House, the Resident was escorted by a detachment of Mysore Cavalry, his
entry into the Fort premises was heralded by the booming of guns, and at the main entrance of the
Palace he received a Guard of Honour and was welcomed by the Chief Secretary to the Government
and a Palace Sardar, who conducted him to the first floor where the Dewan met and took him to the
presence of His Highness the Maharaja in the Drawing Room. From there the Resident joined the
Maharaja's procession and entered the Durbar Hall with His Highness. After His Highness took his
seat on the Throne, the Resident occupied a special chair immediately to the right. The other
European guests were accommodated on chairs in the right wing of the Hall while the Indian
invitees, in accordance with the time-honoured custom, sat on the carpeted floor in the left wing. Sir
M. Visvesvaraya attended the Durbars for the first time in the Dasara of 1910 and seems to have
noticed the difference in the seating arrangements between the European and Indian guests. When
another year came round and invitations were-issued to the Durbars of 1911, Sir M. Visvesvaraya
intimated to the Palace Secretary in waiting that he might be excused from attendance at the
Mahanavami Day Durbar. The Secretary (Mr. Mirza) was curious to know the reason and asked him.
Sir M. Visvesvaraya explained that he was not quite happy when European officers serving under the
Mysore Government were sitting on chairs, while the Indian guests, from the Dewan downwards,
had to squat on the floor, and though he knew full well that no discrimination was intended, such an
interpretation could not altogether be ruled out. The Secretary saw the point, and when the matter
was brought to the notice of His Highness, with that keen discernment and quick decision which
distinguished that great ruler, he commanded that Indian guests also might be given chairs on
Mahanavami day. The announcement was received with agreeable surprise, and there was a mild
sensation that a practice extending over three decades in which successive Dewans had acquiesced,
should have been changed at the instance of a newcomer into the service.

Talking of chairs, another incident which occurred when Sir M. Visvesvaraya was Dewan may be
mentioned though he was not directly concerned in it. Col. Sir Hugh Daly, a high-minded Englishman
and one of the finest political officers ever accredited to the Mysore Court, retired in April 1916 and
was succeeded by Mr. H. V. Cobb, a member of the Indian Civil Service. With none of the abilities of
his predecessor, Mr. Cobb shared in full measure the imperialistic outlook of the service to which he
belonged. After attending the Durbar of 1916, he wrote to the Palace authorities that the chair
provided for him at the Durbar was too high and that he might be given on future occasions a
footstool to rest his feet on. The reply promptly went forth from the Huzur Secretary (Mr. Mirza) that
the legs of the chair had been cut to suit his (the Resident's) convenience, and that a footstool was
never given to the Residents at the Durbars as might be seen from the Copy (which was enclosed) of
a photograph taken in the middle decades of the previous century. Needless to say there was no
further communication from Mr. Cobb!

In the second year of Sir M. Visvesvaraya's office as Dewan World War I broke out, and it ended only
within one month of his retirement. About the year 1915 an important communication relating to
the war ·was received from the Government of India, with the caution that the matter referred to in
it should be treated as a top secret. A meeting of the Executive Council was summoned to meet at
“Ballabrooie", the residence of the Dewan, and was attended by His Highness the Yuvaraja,
Extraordinary Member of Council, and the other two members, Messrs. Nanjundaiya and Kantaraj
Urs. In view of the importance of the matter, Mr. Campbell, Private Secretary to His Highness the
Maharaja, came from Mysore and ·was present at the meeting. I was the only officer present for
recording the proceedings. After the business was over, there was desultory conversation on various
matters, grave and gay, and at one point Sir M. Visvesvaraya, wishing to say something, began with
the-words, “I am a democrat and …" Before he could proceed any further, he was stopped by Mr.
Campbell, who had jumped· to his feet, and coming nearer and facing the Dewan exclaimed: ”What
did I hear you say, Dewan Saheb·? A democrat? · You, a democrat! You are the greatest autocrat
going!” There was an outburst of laughter in which not the least hilarious was that of Sir M.
Visvesvaraya. The- remark had gone home, and he knew that Mr. Campbell had spoken only the
barest truth.
Sir M. Visvesvaraya was a democrat, but only for taking counsel; in action, he was a great autocrat.
Else he could not have achieved so much.