EARLY LIFE

Dr. M.S. Ramaiah comes from a working class family. His grandfather G.R. Ramaiah was an ordinary mason while Indian Institute of Science was under construction. His father Sampangappa was a brick contractor. Dr. M.S. Ramaiah is the only son of Sampangappa and Narasamma. He was born in April 1922. He did his primary and middle school education in Mathikere which was then on the outskirts of Bangalore City. Due to the problems in the family, he could not pursue his education and he took to agriculture. Since the land holding of the family was very meagre, he took an appointment in Industrial Testing Laboratory, which was a Government of Mysore concern.

Later, he joined Mysore Railways and put in a service for two years. At the age of 18, he followed his father and took up contract jobs. During the second world war, he supplied bricks to the construction of military camps in Bangalore. After the World War, he shifted his camp to Kolhapur, where the State Government had undertaken a dam work. During 1945-51, he did well in supplying bricks to the construction works and became a successful contractor. This made him to take up bigger projects and he ventured to take up the canal works of Ghattaprabha project.

Later, he successfully completed the Talakalale dam of Sharavathi Hydro Electric Project and Dharma project, which is the longest earthen dam in the State. He also successfully completed the works of Gandak Project in Bihar. By 1960, he was a top most engineering contractor of the State.

Ramaiah
Read More
Ramaiah
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

Due to poverty, Dr. M.S. Ramaiah could not have higher education for himself. He realised the value of education for the nation's progress, especially the need of technical personnel as he was an engineering contractor. He was dreaming of providing better training facilities for technical personnel. An opportunity came his way in 1962. He established Gokula Education Foundation, through which he started the M.S. Ramaiah College of Engineering. Later, this was renamed as M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT) and now it is also known as Ramaiah Institute of Technology (RIT) RIT’s journey started with Bangalore University and was continued. RIT started with two undergraduate programmes in 1962 and by the end of 1997, 12 UG and 03 PG programmes were offered to students, which were affiliated with Bangalore University.

Since its inception, Institute is continuously growing. The following are the major achievements of RIT till 1997:

  • Good Placement record
  • Every year around 3% of RIT students were going for higher studies abroad.
  • RIT Alumni have distinguished themselves by occupying high positions in India and abroad and have contact with the Institute through an active Alumni Association.
  • Good and committed faculty with around 5% having PhDs.
Read More
RELIGIOUS SERVICES

Dr. M.S. Ramaiah became the President of Yogi Nareyana Yateendrara Trust of Kaiwara in the year 1979. Today, Kaiwara Kshetra, situated near Chintamani in Kolar District has developed into one of the premier religious centres in Karnataka. Every year, more than 5 lakh pilgrims visit the Amara Nareyana Temple and seek the blessings of the great saint of Kaiwara, Yogi Nareyana Yateendra. Various religious and social developments have taken place in Kaiwara. The improvements made to the Bheemalingeshwara Temple is note worthy. Development of Kaiwara Yogi Nareyana Yateendra Thapovana which is totally a new concept is unique in the whole country. Apart from these activities, the Trust has been rendering significant social service by implementing various schemes. It is arranging free marriages every year for about 500 couples and more than 2000 marriages are held every year for a small sum of money to the poorer section of the society. The Trust also respects Sadhus and Saints who come in thousands on the Yogi Yateendra's birthday where saffron robes are distributed and dakshinas are given. The Trust also provides financial assistance and scholarship to the needy students of Kolar district for their studies.

Dr. M.S. Ramaiah was very passionate about the local language, Kannada, and participated in varlous cultural events with great enthusiasm, He organised the Kannada Sahithya Sarmelana in Kalwara in 1990 where he was the Chairman of the Reception Committee. Karnataka's leading literary turinaries gathered for the first time in a serene, rural ambience and this was acknowledged as one of the best organised cultural events in the recent past.

Ramaiah
Ramaiah
SOCIAL SERVICES

Dr. M.S. Ramaiah Charities Trust was setup to help the poor and meritorious students to come up in life. The trust has been spending every year Rs.20 to 25 lakh by way of scholarship to backward class students who are pursuing higher studies. The trust also provides financial assistance to the candidates who appear for IAS and IPS examination. The Trust has adopted Kolar and Bangalore Rural districts in these philanthropic activities. All the needy students who have passed their PUC examination in first class and who are studying in degree class are provided scholarships irrespective of caste and community. The students of backward communities studying in technical and professional colleges and Post Graduate studies are provided with financial assistance. Housing is a problem in any developing society, more so in a city like Bangalore which is the fastest growing city in the whole of South East Asia. Dr. M.S. Ramaiah realised the problem of housing. Hence he built an extension of his own where the poor and middle class families can live at reasonable rents. He also organised Kannada Sahithya Sammelana in Kaiwara in the year 1990 and he was the Chairman of the Reception Committee where all the literary people of Karnataka assembled for the first time in a rural, serene atmosphere and it was appreciated as one of the best organised Kannada Sahithya Sammelanas in the recent past.

Read More
GALLERY
Release of Commemorative Stamp and Cover of Dr. M S Ramaiah on 22 April 2022