He got a guaranteed appointment as Assistant Engineer in the Public Works Department, Govt., of Bombay and posted in Nasik, which he joined in March 1884.

He served from 1884 to 1908 (24 years) in various capacities and rose in status rapidly. The only reward he could not get was that of an opportunity to become Chief Engineer which was then the prerogative of the British Officers. He was engaged in following activities from 1884 to 1908.

Year 1884 - Appointed Assistant Engineer, Public Works Development, Bombay, joined duty in March 1884, posted to Nasik and Khandesh.

Year 1885 – Acting Executive Engineer, passed Departmental examination and became first grade Assistant Engineer in October 1885.

Year 1887 – was made an Associate Member of Institute of Civil Engineers (London) in November.

Year 1891 – Deccan Cub-Poona was formed.

Year 1894-95 engaged in Sukkur Drainage and Water Works.

Year 1896 –  was posted in Surat District

Year 1897 –  was back in Poona as Assistant to Chief Engineer.

Year 1898 visited Japan that impressed him with the grim determination of that nation to make good in the eyes of mankind.

Year 1899 – became Executive Engineer, Poona Irrigation District, started water works for Poona, submitted a progressive memorandum for the Irrigation Commission and started the concept of “Block System of Irrigation”.

Year 1901 – became acting Sanitary Engineer to Bombay Govt., planned sewerage disposal for Poona. His long stay in Poona (about 15 years) gave him contacts with some of the bravest and best men of the time like Ranade, Gokhale and Tilak.

The ‘Block System of Irrigation’ was another successful innovation of Visveswaraya. After the scheme was tried for four years, Sir John Muir Mackenzie, Senior Member of the Govt. of Bombay, to establish the scheme, said in the Bombay Legislative Council in Jan 1908 as under:

“The case in favour of these (irrigation) works has been enimently strengthered by the complete success of what is known as the Block System of Irrigation in the Nira Canal which has succeeded in paying nearly 3.5% on the capital outlay and we hope to see it paying 5%. The development of this system is due entirely to the genius of Mr. Visvesvaraya, certainly one of the ablest officers, European or Indian, of the Public Works Department, with whom it has been my pleasure and honour to work”.

His achievements brought him accolades in the form of nomination as Fellow of Bombay University and permanent appointment as Sanitary Engineer to Govt., in 1904.

Year 1905 – was made Special Officer for water supply in addition to normal duties.

Year 1906, was deputed to the Port of Aden, a military settlement of the British Govt., for helping the authorities there to lay out an effective under ground drainage system and also a suitable drinking water scheme. Similar schemes were evolved for Kolhapur also.

Year 1907, was given additional charge of three Superintending Engineer Divisions, Drinking water schemes to Bijapur, Dharwar, made member Bombay Health Committee, College of Science Review Committee. By then, he had superceded as many as 18 of his seniors, which was commendable. However, he assessed that Chief Engineership would come to him at his regular turn according to his original rank. He sought retirement, he was only 47 year old, having served 24 years in Bombay Govt., He laid down the office in the year 1908. He was not entitled for full pension, but the Govt., of Bombay wrote to the Govt., of India in March 1908 for “special consideration of the case because of his services which was exceptionally meritorious and fully entitles him to the additional pension”.

Year 1908-09, visited Italy, U.K., U.S.A., Canada, Sweden, Russia etc., a trip he made on leave preparatory to retirement. He was in Milan, Italy when he received a cable message from the Nizam’s Govt., Hyderabad, which he accepted and joined on the 15^th April 1908 as Chief Engineer. He had been requested to:

i.              Advise and assist in the reconstruction of Hyderabad City.

ii.            Frame proposals for future protection of the city from floods and

iii.           Prepare a complete scheme of drainage for Hyderabad City and Chandarghat.

After detailed survey and inspection, Viveswaraya suggested construction of the reservoir dams – One across river ‘Musi’ and the other across its tributary ‘Easi” within a distance of 13½ and 10½ kms respectively, above the city – raising river banks within the city itself and a modern drainage system for the city together with plan and estimates. After this was done, he left Hyderabad.

He had built up friendship with institutions and financiers in Bombay like the Tatas. It was his earlier letter to the then Dewan of Mysore Sir P.N. Krishna Murthy to see that every facility was offered to the Tatas in setting up the Institute of Science at Bangalore, which was accepted by the authorities in Mysore. Thus was started The Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in the year 1908.

In June 1909, the Chief Engineer of Mysore M. McHutchin was to retire from service. The term of office of Madhava Rao as Dewan of Mysore was to end on March 31, 1909. T. Ananda Rao succeeded Madhava Rao as Dewan of Mysore and on May 24, 1909, he wrote to Visvesvaraya that His Highness the Maharaja of Mysore would he glad to secure his services, for which Visvesvaraya inquired as under:

“Whether there was any prospect of Government encouraging industries and technical education in the State on a large scale than they were accustomed to and utilizing my services in that connection?”

On being assured, Visvesvaraya joined Mysore Service on November 15, 1909 as Chief Engineer and in addition, he was Secretary to Govt., for Railways.

More to come …