Patna: Academics and engineers paid tribute to Sir M. Visvesvaraya here on Saturday, celebrating Engineer's Day on his birth anniversary.

Ashok Kumar Sinha, the chairman of the state chapter of the Institution of Engineers (India), that organised the celebration on its premises in the city, praised Visvesvaraya's contribution to nation building.

"He was an engineer par excellence, a great statesman, educationist and administrator. Engineering students should look at his life struggle to serve as a guiding light for their endeavours in the field."

The state chapter of Institution of Engineers (India) commemorated Visvesvaraya's birth anniversary under the theme of "Digital transformation - a new industrial revolution".

Gautam Barua, the director of Indian Institute of Information Technology, Guwahati, addressed theme as he said: "Technology has changed the way we live. We are living in an age of digital revolution which aims at making our lives easy so the responsibility to innovate lies on the shoulders of engineers. The people engaged in the profession should follow Sir MV (as M. Visvesvaraya is popularly known) to make such contribution in our lives."

IIT Patna director Pushpak Bhattacharyya said: "Sir Visvesvaraya graced the profession of engineering, was passionate in his work and dedicated towards making a contribution in national development."

Gyan Prakash, 61, a retired engineer who also attended the Engineer's Day celebrations, highlighted Sir MV's contributions, saying he "contributed to the Krishna Raja Sagar Dam on the Cauvery river, benefiting the people of Karnataka with irrigation water and electricity generation".

Gautam Kumar Pandit from Shahkund in Bhagalpur, who is posted as junior engineer in Godda, Jharkhand, was also felicitated at the function. He had secured highest marks in the academic member of the Institution of Engineers, an exam to become a member of the organisation's state chapter.