Chief engineer’s vision holds the weight of a 100 years

Fifth engineering college in India, founded by Sir Visvesvaraya, boasts of illustrious alumni

The dilapidated condition of the V-shaped college building.

BENGALURU:The University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering was the fifth engineering college in the country. Founded by engineer, statesman and Dewan of Mysore M Visvesvaraya in 1913 as School of Mechanical Engineering, it was later converted into a full-fledged Government Engineering College in 1917,  affiliated to the University of Mysore.

1. An old emblem of the college 2. The scrap from the mechanical engineering department in a room that dates back to 1913 3. The machinery in the mechanical department which were brought from USA and Germany between 1920 and 1930

After the Bangalore University was formed in 1964, UVCE became one of its constituent colleges. Located near K R Circle, arms of the V-shaped main building also have air-conditioned seminar halls, a placement cell and the principal’s office.The college boasts of well-known alumni such as theatre and film artiste Prakash Belawadi, actor H G Dattatreya, scientist and former head of Defence Research and Development Organisation Dr Vasudev Kalkunte Aatre and actor-director Ramesh Aravind.
Initially, the college offered only Civil and Mechanical Engineering courses. In 1924, the Electrical Engineering department was introduced.

4. The mural depicting different branches of engineering 5. The bell installed in 1960s 6. The statue of Visvesvaraya

The University of Mysore became the first in the country to offer a degree in Electrical Engineering.
Later, in 1967, the Department of Architecture was established.
V Hanumantha Rao Naidu, the then Chief Architect of Karnataka, is said to have played a vital role in the development of this department.
Renowned architect K N Iengar was the first faculty member to be appointed for the architecture department.

7. The mechanical department covered in dust 8. An old flower pot placed at a corner 9. The main building 

Pushpa Dravid, cricketer Rahul Dravid’s mother, used to teach arts in the college. Now, the college has about six departments.    
The current principal of the college, Dr Venugopal K R, became the first person at the University level from India to bag the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Distinguished Educator Award, 2016.

10. The smithy where metal casting is done 11. Needles indicate the weight of the goods 12. A beautiful long corridor of the college