H. R. Janardhana Iyengar
Encyclopedia
Sri Haradanahalli Ramaswamy Janardhana Iyengar (8 September 1908-6 February 1991) was an eminent engineer in Mysore, India
. He made valuable contributions to the engineering
profession during the 1940s
and 1950s
through his innovative methods and original designs.
of Kollegal. In 1927, when Mr. Iyengar was an engineering student, his father died from complications of carbuncle surgery. At this young age, he became the head of the family, and at the same time pursued the higher education that would lead to his accomplished career. In 1930, he obtained a degree in Engineering
from the University of Mysore
with a record of high academic achievement.
Public Water Works Department in Malleswaram
. Shortly after, he acquired a contract for a house renovation project which resulted in a substantial profit. After these and other initial successes, he formed the Mysore Engineering Company (MEC) with his college friends K.S. Ramaswamy (an illustrious engineer and also a maternal uncle), who acted in liaison and accounting capacities, and Thirumalachar, who undertook tasks of execution and project management, with Janardhana Iyengar managing design aspects. The MEC specialized in architecture and design, and construction.
In 1939, partly as a result of the impending World War II
, the government Military Engineering Services (MES) wanted to construct prisoners' barracks and other civic amenities at Jalahalli
, now a subdivision of Bangalore
. The MES sought engineers and awarded numerous contracts to Mr. Iyengar's group. The facilities were completed and ready for occupation ahead of schedule. This resulted in additional contracts and further successes for the MEC, such as a contract to build the Hospital Town in Jalahalli
; this work was also completed in a record time. In 1940, after the MEC experienced further growth, Janardhana Iyengar moved to Mysore, taking residence with his family in Vontikoppal.
The MEC was charged with the construction of many water tanks for the military with a stipulation that completion of each project would be within one month. The MEC also built many water treatment plants for the army in Mysore state
and the Madras presidency
. This work of Janardhana Iyengar, Ramaswamy and Thirumalachar was appreciated by the government and the Dewan, Sir Mirza Ismail
. The MEC had developed a reputation for performing high-quality work at very reasonable costs. Important treatment plants were at Tambaram
, Udumulpet, Arkonam, and Thondebhavi. The Dewan’s administration awarded the MEC contracts for other hospitals and various public buildings. Through this, the MEC would construct the Victoria Mental Hospital in Bangalore
and the Cheluvamba hospital for Women in Mysore, the General Post Office building in Mysore, movie theaters (e.g. the Lakshmi Ranjit in Mysore and the Bramaramba in Chamarajanagar
), and bank buildings (e.g., the Bank of Mysore (now the State Bank of Mysore
) headquarters in Mysore). Circa 1946, the MEC constructed the Bank of Mysore Building in Madras (now Chennai); a substantial portion of the profit from this venture was returned to the bank.
In 1946, the MEC was involved in the construction of the power plant for the Munnar
hill station in present-day Kerala
. From 1944 to 1948 the MEC constructed numerous structures for the Mysore Steel Works, and cement and paper mills in Bhadravati (now in Karnataka
). Janardhana Iyengar also designed silos for these projects. From 1948 to 1950, he designed and constructed numerous large ground-level water reservoirs in Bangalore
and Mysore (e.g. at Malleswaram
and Yadavagiri in Mysore). Janardhana Iyengar’s firm designed and constructed overhead tanks, in present-day Kerala
, Pune
and Uttar Pradesh
. Later, the MEC also constructed schools for rural education in Muddahalli
) and Nanjangud
.
In his tenure as Dewan of Mysore, Sir Mirza Ismail
was tasked with improving the state's infrastructure, and he was impressed with Iyengar's vision of utilising the Kaveri river's water basin for irrigation. In 1953, answering a government request, Janardhana Iyengar prepared a comprehensive proposal for Kaveri water basin irrigation projects (for irrigation not covered by a 1924 agreement
, which imposed restrictions on State of Mysore for utilization of major rivers of the Kaveri basin). This was submitted to the Mysore state government, which would later undertake many of these projects in the 1960s
.
From 1956 to 1959 The Mysore Engineering Company constructed the colossal Karnataka University in Dharwar. In this project, cost overruns resulted from demands to make the exterior of buildings veneered with polished granite: the slabs had to be obtained from the Doddaballapur quarry. The company was not reimbursed for this extra cost due to a lack of political influence with the government (see corruption in India
). The MEC incurred a severe financial loss and would thereafter be closed. Janardhana Iyengar and his partners would later form the Associated Mysore Engineering Company (AMEC) circa 1958.
By 1958, Janardhana Iyengar’s engineering enterprise had otherwise achieved great success. With his partners, he formed another company, Mysore Concrete Construction (MCC), which, starting in 1961 would design and construct a reinforced concrete
construction (RCC) power channel for the Sharavati Hydroelectric Project. This happened to be the biggest hydroelectric project undertaken in Karnataka
. The state government invited bids to build water conductor systems, and bids were returned from numerous construction firms, including some in the United States
and the United Kingdom
. After studying the requirements for this project Iyengar designed the system and his design was adopted, at considerable savings to the state. The power channel, which extends from the Sharavathi river's Linganamakki Dam
to the Penstock entry point to feed 9 turbines, is lengthy and also covered at many places. Mr. Iynegar's economical management and design skills earned the MCC large successes, as well as a good reputation with other engineers. The channel was completed in 3 years, in 1964.
In 1961, the University of Mysore
invited tenders for design and construction of a campus at Manasagangotri. The MCC won this contract and the work was sublet to the AMEC (then a partner company). Janardhana Iyengar’s son, B. Rangaraj, designed the complex under his father’s guidance. The project was successfully completed on time and budget, and the university (particularly the Registrar, Mr. Nickam) commended the work. The campus, on Hunsur Road facing the picturesque Kukkarahalli lake, remains today a scenic locale, sometimes used for Kannada film
shoots.
As an engineering designer, Janardhana Iyengar made various innovations. For example, for Indian Telephone Industries (ITI), he planned large factories using RCC structures, such as arches supported on cantilevered column support: he designed columns safe from arch reaction by using specially designed column footing that would neutralize soil reaction. In 1958, he designed a shell roof for ITI as part of a large factory construction. Between 1950 and 1956, his firm designed and constructed three cinema theaters with RCC trusses in lieu of the standard structural steel frame, given a shortage of structural steel in India. During this period, Mr. Iyengar formed an additional engineering company, the United Engineering Corporation. As director, he designed airplane hangars made of RCC girders, and not of steel, as was common practice. In the 1950s
, Mr. Iyengar would become a founding partner of an additional company Mysore Chip Boards.
After a gradual retirement, in the late 1960s
, Janardhana Iyengar helped his sons to form Bharat Engineering Corporation, and would act as an adviser and managing director of that company. The first big project for this company was construction of a novel pedestrian subway at the KR market in Bengaluru Pete
in 1967. Under his guidance, his sons would undertake the construction of large water treatment plants from 1962 to 1978.
Janardhana Iyengar was one of the earliest fellows of the Institution of Engineers
and president of the Instution's Mysore Local Centre http://www.ieimysore.org.in/Past_Chairman_Secretary.htm, and a co-founder of the National Institute of Engineering
and member of its Governing Council. The NIE http://thenie.com/index.php maintains an endowed scholarship http://www.nie.ac.in/endow10.pdf in his memory, awarded to the student with the highest cumulative marks through all semesters.
, had five sons—B.K. Ramaswamy (born 1934), B.J. Srinivas (1938), B. Rangaraj (1940), M. J. Krishnamurthy (1942) and M. J. Prakash (1944)--and two daughters: J. Rathna (wife of K. K. Srinivasan
; 1936) and J. Lavanya, born in 1950. They had fifteen grandchildren, who now reside in the United States
, the United Kingdom
, Australia
, and India
. Janardhana Iyengar and K.S. Ramaswamy were lifelong neighbors, and were endeared friends and advisers. He aided K. S. Ramaswamy with the creation of the National Institute of Engineering
, and aided in overseeing its growth.
Among his many hobbies were analyzing and optimizing the routes of the Indian Railways
system, as well as studying flood patterns and solutions during the monsoon season in Karnataka
. During 1940's he had submitted plans to the Indian Railways
for doubling the tracks between Mysore and Bangalore; this project was not undertaken; however, Mr. Iyengar's company did rebuild the Loka Pavani Bridge across Loka Pavani river, along the Bangalore-Mysore railway line, after the previous bridge was washed out during floods. A voracious reader of both non-fiction and fiction, he was immensely interested in current affairs and western medicine. He knew Gray’s Anatomy in great detail. Mr. Iyengar was an important supporter in establishing Air Service at the Mandakalli airport, now known as Mysore Airport.
A connoisseur of fine arts, he was appreciative of Carnatic music and Indian classical dance. Both he and his wife were adherents of Hindu philosophy
and traditions, notably hosting Ramayana
discourses culminating with the Pattabhishekam, the coronation of Lord Rama
during the Mysore Dasara
festivities for several decades. A staunch Vaishnava, Janardhana Iyengar was a trustee of Sri Lakshmi Venkataramanaswamy temple in Vontikoppal, Mysore, and a generous and hospitable philanthropist who provided financial and material support to many in the Mysore community. He was a member and past president of the Lions Club in Mysore.
H. R. Janardhana Iyengar was religious person but was not prepared to accept cults and conceptions based on blind belief: he was not follower of the "God-men" who purported to be incarnations
of God
, but remained neutral when his friends and relatives followed these individuals. He approached the world through a scientific temperament and did not expect miracles; he believed the necessity of hard work and logical action to achieve more knowledge in all walks of life.
He was well-versed in the Hindu scriptures and followed the path of Karma Yoga
, and believed that the completion of one’s duties was the main source of life fulfillment. He was conscientious about completing his duties towards his beloved wife and 7 children, as well as his polio-stricken sister, mother and two disabled younger brothers.
He had a major heart attack in 1973. He was diagnosed with Parkinson disease in the late 1970s
, which was progressively debilitating. He succumbed to pneumonia
on 6 February 1991, a compassionate, generous and prolific man.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He made valuable contributions to the engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
profession during the 1940s
1940s
File:1940s decade montage.png|Above title bar: events which happened during World War II : From left to right: Troops in an LCVP landing craft approaching "Omaha" Beach on "D-Day"; Adolf Hitler visits Paris, soon after the Battle of France; The Holocaust occurred during the war as Nazi Germany...
and 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
through his innovative methods and original designs.
Childhood and Education
Janardhana Iyengar was the eldest child of Haradanahalli Ramaswamy Iyengar and Janakamma. He had three younger sisters and two younger brothers. At age 18, he married 12 year-old Indiramma Srinivasa IyengarIndiramma Iyengar
Indiramma Janardhana Iyengar , also known as Manni, was philanthropist and community organizer in Mysore, India.- Biography :Indiramma Janardhana Iyengar, or H. R...
of Kollegal. In 1927, when Mr. Iyengar was an engineering student, his father died from complications of carbuncle surgery. At this young age, he became the head of the family, and at the same time pursued the higher education that would lead to his accomplished career. In 1930, he obtained a degree in Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
from the University of Mysore
University of Mysore
The University of Mysore , is a public university in India. The University founded during the reign of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, the Maharaja of Mysore, and was conceptualized on the basis of a report on educational progress in the United States and Australia, submitted by Messrs Thomas Denham and...
with a record of high academic achievement.
Career
After graduation, he started his career at the BangaloreBangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
Public Water Works Department in Malleswaram
Malleswaram
Malleswara or Malleshwaram, located in the north-west of Bangalore, derives its name from the famous Kaadu Malleswara temple. Originally a village named Mallapura, Malleswaram was developed as a suburb during the great plague of 1898, which caused many people to move out from the city center...
. Shortly after, he acquired a contract for a house renovation project which resulted in a substantial profit. After these and other initial successes, he formed the Mysore Engineering Company (MEC) with his college friends K.S. Ramaswamy (an illustrious engineer and also a maternal uncle), who acted in liaison and accounting capacities, and Thirumalachar, who undertook tasks of execution and project management, with Janardhana Iyengar managing design aspects. The MEC specialized in architecture and design, and construction.
In 1939, partly as a result of the impending World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the government Military Engineering Services (MES) wanted to construct prisoners' barracks and other civic amenities at Jalahalli
Jalahalli
Jalahalli is a beautiful locality situated in the northern part of Bangalore city. It remains as one of the greenest areas of Bangalore. It is mainly divided into Jalahalli East and West....
, now a subdivision of Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
. The MES sought engineers and awarded numerous contracts to Mr. Iyengar's group. The facilities were completed and ready for occupation ahead of schedule. This resulted in additional contracts and further successes for the MEC, such as a contract to build the Hospital Town in Jalahalli
Jalahalli
Jalahalli is a beautiful locality situated in the northern part of Bangalore city. It remains as one of the greenest areas of Bangalore. It is mainly divided into Jalahalli East and West....
; this work was also completed in a record time. In 1940, after the MEC experienced further growth, Janardhana Iyengar moved to Mysore, taking residence with his family in Vontikoppal.
The MEC was charged with the construction of many water tanks for the military with a stipulation that completion of each project would be within one month. The MEC also built many water treatment plants for the army in Mysore state
Mysore State
The Kingdom of Mysore was one of the three largest princely states within the erstwhile British Empire of India. Upon India gaining its independence in 1947, the Maharaja of Mysore merged his realm with the Union of India...
and the Madras presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. This work of Janardhana Iyengar, Ramaswamy and Thirumalachar was appreciated by the government and the Dewan, Sir Mirza Ismail
Mirza Ismail
Amin-ul-Mulq Sir Mirza Muhammad Ismail, KCIE, Kt, OBE ; was a Diwan of the Kingdom of Mysore, Jaipur and Hyderabad....
. The MEC had developed a reputation for performing high-quality work at very reasonable costs. Important treatment plants were at Tambaram
Tambaram
Tambaram is a suburb of Chennai situated 27 km south of the city in Tamil Nadu, India. It is an urban node. Tambaram is a hub to all major destinations in south Tamil Nadu as it lies on the busy Chennai–Trichy national highway. The highway and the railway line from Chennai Egmore to...
, Udumulpet, Arkonam, and Thondebhavi. The Dewan’s administration awarded the MEC contracts for other hospitals and various public buildings. Through this, the MEC would construct the Victoria Mental Hospital in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
and the Cheluvamba hospital for Women in Mysore, the General Post Office building in Mysore, movie theaters (e.g. the Lakshmi Ranjit in Mysore and the Bramaramba in Chamarajanagar
Chamarajanagar
Chamarajanagar is a town in the southern end of Karnataka, a state in India. It is also the headquarters of the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka. It is named after Chamaraja Wodeyar IX , king of Mysore, who was born in the town...
), and bank buildings (e.g., the Bank of Mysore (now the State Bank of Mysore
State Bank of Mysore
State Bank of Mysore is a nationalised bank in India.State Bank of Mysore was established in the year 1913 as Bank of Mysore Ltd. under the patronage of the erstwhile Govt. of Mysore, at the instance of the banking committee headed by the great Engineer-Statesman, Late Dr. Sir M.Visweswaraiah...
) headquarters in Mysore). Circa 1946, the MEC constructed the Bank of Mysore Building in Madras (now Chennai); a substantial portion of the profit from this venture was returned to the bank.
In 1946, the MEC was involved in the construction of the power plant for the Munnar
Munnar
Munnar is one of the most popular hill station in Kerala and in southern India. Munnar is located on the Western Ghats, situated in the Idukki district....
hill station in present-day Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. From 1944 to 1948 the MEC constructed numerous structures for the Mysore Steel Works, and cement and paper mills in Bhadravati (now in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
). Janardhana Iyengar also designed silos for these projects. From 1948 to 1950, he designed and constructed numerous large ground-level water reservoirs in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
and Mysore (e.g. at Malleswaram
Malleswaram
Malleswara or Malleshwaram, located in the north-west of Bangalore, derives its name from the famous Kaadu Malleswara temple. Originally a village named Mallapura, Malleswaram was developed as a suburb during the great plague of 1898, which caused many people to move out from the city center...
and Yadavagiri in Mysore). Janardhana Iyengar’s firm designed and constructed overhead tanks, in present-day Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
and Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
. Later, the MEC also constructed schools for rural education in Muddahalli
Muddenahalli
Muddenahalli is a centrally located town situated 7 km from Chikballapur and 1 km from Kanivenarayanapura in Chikballapur District of Karnataka State...
) and Nanjangud
Nanjangud
Nanjangud is a town in Mysore district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is a temple town and is on the banks of the river Kapila , and lies at a distance of 23 km from the city of Mysore.Nanjangud is famous for Srikanteshwara Temple...
.
In his tenure as Dewan of Mysore, Sir Mirza Ismail
Mirza Ismail
Amin-ul-Mulq Sir Mirza Muhammad Ismail, KCIE, Kt, OBE ; was a Diwan of the Kingdom of Mysore, Jaipur and Hyderabad....
was tasked with improving the state's infrastructure, and he was impressed with Iyengar's vision of utilising the Kaveri river's water basin for irrigation. In 1953, answering a government request, Janardhana Iyengar prepared a comprehensive proposal for Kaveri water basin irrigation projects (for irrigation not covered by a 1924 agreement
Kaveri River Water Dispute
The sharing of waters of the river Kaveri had been the bone of contention of a serious conflict between the Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu...
, which imposed restrictions on State of Mysore for utilization of major rivers of the Kaveri basin). This was submitted to the Mysore state government, which would later undertake many of these projects in the 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
.
From 1956 to 1959 The Mysore Engineering Company constructed the colossal Karnataka University in Dharwar. In this project, cost overruns resulted from demands to make the exterior of buildings veneered with polished granite: the slabs had to be obtained from the Doddaballapur quarry. The company was not reimbursed for this extra cost due to a lack of political influence with the government (see corruption in India
Corruption in India
Political, bureaucratic, corporate and individual corruption in India are major concerns. A 2005 study conducted by Transparency International in India found that more than 55% of Indians had first-hand experience of paying bribes or influence peddling to get jobs done in public offices...
). The MEC incurred a severe financial loss and would thereafter be closed. Janardhana Iyengar and his partners would later form the Associated Mysore Engineering Company (AMEC) circa 1958.
By 1958, Janardhana Iyengar’s engineering enterprise had otherwise achieved great success. With his partners, he formed another company, Mysore Concrete Construction (MCC), which, starting in 1961 would design and construct a reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
construction (RCC) power channel for the Sharavati Hydroelectric Project. This happened to be the biggest hydroelectric project undertaken in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. The state government invited bids to build water conductor systems, and bids were returned from numerous construction firms, including some in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. After studying the requirements for this project Iyengar designed the system and his design was adopted, at considerable savings to the state. The power channel, which extends from the Sharavathi river's Linganamakki Dam
Linganamakki dam
The Linganamakki dam was constructed by the Karnataka State Government in 1964. Located in the Sagara taluk, the dam has a length of 2.4 km, stretching across the Sharavathi river...
to the Penstock entry point to feed 9 turbines, is lengthy and also covered at many places. Mr. Iynegar's economical management and design skills earned the MCC large successes, as well as a good reputation with other engineers. The channel was completed in 3 years, in 1964.
In 1961, the University of Mysore
University of Mysore
The University of Mysore , is a public university in India. The University founded during the reign of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, the Maharaja of Mysore, and was conceptualized on the basis of a report on educational progress in the United States and Australia, submitted by Messrs Thomas Denham and...
invited tenders for design and construction of a campus at Manasagangotri. The MCC won this contract and the work was sublet to the AMEC (then a partner company). Janardhana Iyengar’s son, B. Rangaraj, designed the complex under his father’s guidance. The project was successfully completed on time and budget, and the university (particularly the Registrar, Mr. Nickam) commended the work. The campus, on Hunsur Road facing the picturesque Kukkarahalli lake, remains today a scenic locale, sometimes used for Kannada film
Cinema of Karnataka
The cinema of Karnataka , sometimes colloquially referred to as Sandalwood and as Chandanavana in Kannada, encompasses movies made in the Indian state of Karnataka based in Bangalore. Most of the movies are made in Kannada, with a handful of them in Konkani or Tulu. Today more than 100 films are...
shoots.
As an engineering designer, Janardhana Iyengar made various innovations. For example, for Indian Telephone Industries (ITI), he planned large factories using RCC structures, such as arches supported on cantilevered column support: he designed columns safe from arch reaction by using specially designed column footing that would neutralize soil reaction. In 1958, he designed a shell roof for ITI as part of a large factory construction. Between 1950 and 1956, his firm designed and constructed three cinema theaters with RCC trusses in lieu of the standard structural steel frame, given a shortage of structural steel in India. During this period, Mr. Iyengar formed an additional engineering company, the United Engineering Corporation. As director, he designed airplane hangars made of RCC girders, and not of steel, as was common practice. In the 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
, Mr. Iyengar would become a founding partner of an additional company Mysore Chip Boards.
After a gradual retirement, in the late 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
, Janardhana Iyengar helped his sons to form Bharat Engineering Corporation, and would act as an adviser and managing director of that company. The first big project for this company was construction of a novel pedestrian subway at the KR market in Bengaluru Pete
Bengaluru Pete
Bengaluru Pete which was established by Kempegowda I in 1537 with roads laid incardinal directions, with entrance gates at the end of each road is an integral part of the present day Bangalore city...
in 1967. Under his guidance, his sons would undertake the construction of large water treatment plants from 1962 to 1978.
Janardhana Iyengar was one of the earliest fellows of the Institution of Engineers
Institution of Engineers
The Institution of Engineers is the national organization of engineering professionals in India. IEI has over 0.5 million members from 15 engineering disciplines in 99 centres/chapters in India and overseas; it is the largest multi-disciplinary engineering professional society in the...
and president of the Instution's Mysore Local Centre http://www.ieimysore.org.in/Past_Chairman_Secretary.htm, and a co-founder of the National Institute of Engineering
National Institute of Engineering
The National Institute of Engineering, popularly known as The NIE, established in 1946, is the second oldest engineering college in Karnataka. It is located in Mysore, India. NIE is an autonomous institution affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University. It was granted autonomy in the year 2007...
and member of its Governing Council. The NIE http://thenie.com/index.php maintains an endowed scholarship http://www.nie.ac.in/endow10.pdf in his memory, awarded to the student with the highest cumulative marks through all semesters.
Personal Life
Janardhana Iyengar and his wife, Mrs. Indiramma IyengarIndiramma Iyengar
Indiramma Janardhana Iyengar , also known as Manni, was philanthropist and community organizer in Mysore, India.- Biography :Indiramma Janardhana Iyengar, or H. R...
, had five sons—B.K. Ramaswamy (born 1934), B.J. Srinivas (1938), B. Rangaraj (1940), M. J. Krishnamurthy (1942) and M. J. Prakash (1944)--and two daughters: J. Rathna (wife of K. K. Srinivasan
K. K. Srinivasan
Kushalnagar Krishnaswamy Srinivasan known as K. K. Srinivasan was an Indian radar officer who founded a pre-school for deaf children.- Education :Madras Presidency College, Madras...
; 1936) and J. Lavanya, born in 1950. They had fifteen grandchildren, who now reside in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Janardhana Iyengar and K.S. Ramaswamy were lifelong neighbors, and were endeared friends and advisers. He aided K. S. Ramaswamy with the creation of the National Institute of Engineering
National Institute of Engineering
The National Institute of Engineering, popularly known as The NIE, established in 1946, is the second oldest engineering college in Karnataka. It is located in Mysore, India. NIE is an autonomous institution affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University. It was granted autonomy in the year 2007...
, and aided in overseeing its growth.
Among his many hobbies were analyzing and optimizing the routes of the Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
system, as well as studying flood patterns and solutions during the monsoon season in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. During 1940's he had submitted plans to the Indian Railways
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
for doubling the tracks between Mysore and Bangalore; this project was not undertaken; however, Mr. Iyengar's company did rebuild the Loka Pavani Bridge across Loka Pavani river, along the Bangalore-Mysore railway line, after the previous bridge was washed out during floods. A voracious reader of both non-fiction and fiction, he was immensely interested in current affairs and western medicine. He knew Gray’s Anatomy in great detail. Mr. Iyengar was an important supporter in establishing Air Service at the Mandakalli airport, now known as Mysore Airport.
A connoisseur of fine arts, he was appreciative of Carnatic music and Indian classical dance. Both he and his wife were adherents of Hindu philosophy
Hindu philosophy
Hindu philosophy is divided into six schools of thought, or , which accept the Vedas as supreme revealed scriptures. Three other schools do not accept the Vedas as authoritative...
and traditions, notably hosting Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
discourses culminating with the Pattabhishekam, the coronation of Lord Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
during the Mysore Dasara
Mysore Dasara
Mysore Dasara is the Nadahabba of the state of Karnataka. It is also called Navaratri and is a 10-day festival with the last day being Vijayadashami, the most auspicious day of Dasara. Dasara usually falls in the month of September or October...
festivities for several decades. A staunch Vaishnava, Janardhana Iyengar was a trustee of Sri Lakshmi Venkataramanaswamy temple in Vontikoppal, Mysore, and a generous and hospitable philanthropist who provided financial and material support to many in the Mysore community. He was a member and past president of the Lions Club in Mysore.
H. R. Janardhana Iyengar was religious person but was not prepared to accept cults and conceptions based on blind belief: he was not follower of the "God-men" who purported to be incarnations
Incarnations
Incarnations can refer to:*Incarnation of supernatural or religious entities*Incarnations of Immortality, a book series by Piers Anthony*Incarnate , a character class in a role-playing game...
of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, but remained neutral when his friends and relatives followed these individuals. He approached the world through a scientific temperament and did not expect miracles; he believed the necessity of hard work and logical action to achieve more knowledge in all walks of life.
He was well-versed in the Hindu scriptures and followed the path of Karma Yoga
Karma Yoga
Karma yoga , or the "discipline of action" is a form of yoga based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Sanskrit scripture of Hinduism. Of the four paths to realization, karma yoga is the science of achieving perfection in action...
, and believed that the completion of one’s duties was the main source of life fulfillment. He was conscientious about completing his duties towards his beloved wife and 7 children, as well as his polio-stricken sister, mother and two disabled younger brothers.
He had a major heart attack in 1973. He was diagnosed with Parkinson disease in the late 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
, which was progressively debilitating. He succumbed to pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
on 6 February 1991, a compassionate, generous and prolific man.