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{{Short description|Civil engineer in the Indian Service of Engineers}}{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
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'''[[Rao Bahadur]] Puttana Venkataramana Raju ''' (ISE).<ref name="HMSO">{{cite |chapter=Venkataramana Raju P Rao Bahadur |title=The India Office and Burma List 1947 & 1945 |publisher=Her Majesty’s Stationery Office}}</ref> BE(Hons), FIE(I). (1894-1975<ref>{{cite journal|last1=P Venkataramana Raju|title=Avadi Township, Madras 54, India|journal=Death Extract|date=1975|volume=Annual No. 50|issue=Monthly No. 1|page=8}}</ref>) was a [[civil engineer]] in the [[Indian Engineering Service|Indian Service of Engineers]]. His notable works include contributions to building the [[Dowleswaram Barrage]], [[Prakasam Barrage]] and [[Madras Airport]], roads and waterways. He received a [[Rao Bahadur]] award [[Rao Bahadur#Some people awarded the Rao Bahadur title|for his contributions]] to civil and hydraulics engineering and the development of engineering education.<ref name="HMSO" />
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{{Article issues|article=November 2009|orphan=2009 Nov|cleanup=November 2009|copyedit=November 2009|refimprove=November 2009|wikify=November 2009}}


==Career==
'''Rao Bahadur Puttana Venkataramana Raju ''' (ISE) B.E., F.I.E. (1894-1975), also known as '''Rajugaru''', was a person who tried his best to improve the quality of life of people through his dedication to [[Public works|Public Works Projects]] under difficult circumstances. One among the pre-eminent Engineers of his time who contributed to building [[infrastructure]] in the early days of a developing India, his life, professional focus and personal conduct inspired many others to contribute towards Social upliftment and excellence while following his example of lifelong contributions to [[Engineering]], [[Education]] and Helping the poorer sections of society. He was regarded{{By whom|date=November 2009}} as an advocate of development and a staunch supporter of empowerment of the economically weaker sections of society through education. He stood for empowerment and education of Indians, he expressed the view that every family must have an educated competent person who could help develop the next generation- this would lead to a vibrant and socially balanced development of India.
He qualified for the [[Indian Engineering Services|Indian Service of Engineers]] in 1919,<ref name="HMSO" /><ref name="DDPL">Raju P Venkataramana (Rao Bahadur) : Eminent Indians Who was Who 1900-1980 - Durga Das Pvt. Ltd.,1985.</ref> and engaged in many civil engineering projects with the Public Works Department.<ref name="DDPL" /><ref>{{cite journal|author=Sri. Rao Bahadur P.V.Raju, Superintending Engineer, Madras |title=Madras Legislative Council Debates|journal=Official Report|date=1947|volume=11|page=252|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q9EaAQAAIAAJ&q=p+v+raju|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=Sri P Venkataramana Raju|title=case studies of Roads in Holland & The reclamation of the Zuyder Zee in Holland|publisher=University of Madras|journal=The Calendar|date=1945|volume=1939-40|page=280|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9nQbAQAAIAAJ&q=raju|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite conference|title=The Congress expresses its thanks to the PWD Madras and Rao Bahadur P V Raju|conference=Indian Roads Congress., 1944 - Highway engineering|volume=9 |date=1944|page=11|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8EoFAAAAMAAJ&q=p+v+raju|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="Indian Roads Congress - Roads">{{cite conference|title=(iii) Design of Rigid Pavements|author=Rao Bahadur P.V.Raju|conference=Indian Roads Congress - Roads|date=1947|volume=XII-5|issue=September 1948|page=344|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4gUfAQAAMAAJ&q=rao%20bahadur%20p%20v%20raju|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="design-1948">{{cite conference|title=(ii) Design of Rigid Pavements|author=Rao Bahadur P.V.Raju|conference=Indian Roads Congress - Roads|date=1948|volume=XIII-4|issue=July 1949|page=3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7PoeAQAAMAAJ&q=rao+bahadur+p+v+raju|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite conference|title=Highway Engineering|author=P.V.Raj, Madras|conference=Indian Roads Congress - Roads|date=1950|volume=XV|issue=1950|page=51|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ff8eAQAAMAAJ&q=p+v+raju|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite conference|title=Highway Engineering|author=P.V.Raj|conference=Indian Roads Congress - Roads|date=11 December 1953|volume=XV11-1|issue=1953|page=654|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u8UEAAAAMAAJ&q=p+v+raju|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite conference|title=Roads|author=P.V.Raj|conference=Indian Roads Congress - Roads|date=12 April 1955|volume=XIX-1|issue=1955|page=775|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dsYEAAAAMAAJ&q=p+v+raju|access-date=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="FIE 1950">Shri. P V Raju : The Journal of the Institution of Engineers (India)-The Institution, December1950 volume 30 issue=1-3 page=7,25,57</ref><ref name="FIE 1953">Shri. P V Raju : The Journal of the Institution of Engineers (India) The Institution, September1953 volume 34 page=209,690</ref>


During World War II, he was posted as ARP Special Engineer under the War Department, Govt. of India to develop [[Madras Airport]] from 1942-44. He was promoted to the position of Superintending Engineer in March 1944.<ref name="HMSO" /><ref name="DDPL" /> He was subsequently conferred a Fellowship by the Institution of Engineers (India).<ref name="FIE 1950" /><ref name="FIE 1953" /><ref>{{cite book|last1=Rao Bahadur P Venkataramana Raju|first1=Superintending Engineer - Madras Government|title=Felicitation on award of Rao Bahadur by Arya Kshatriya Seva Sangha Estd.1930, Bengaluru|date=10 October 1944|publisher=Vani Press, Bengaluru City, Mysore State|location=Bengaluru|page=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Rao Bahadur P Venkataramana Raju|title=Sri Muktarishivamshodbhava Sri Soma Vamsha Arya Kshatriya Purana|date= 12 June 1966|publisher=Sri B N Srinivasa with research by Vidwan S R Krishna Shastri|location=Bengaluru City, Mysuru State, India|edition=1st Edition - Part 1|ref=9111/76}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Rao Bahadur P Venkataramana Raju|title=Sri Somavamsha Puranam II|date= 12 March 1972|publisher=Sri B N Srinivasa|location=Bengaluru City, Mysuru State, India|edition=2nd Edition - Part II}}</ref> He was a Member of the International Association for Hydraulic Research.<ref name="DDPL" /> He represented the Madras Govt. as their official delegate to several Indian Roads Congress<ref>{{cite web|last1=Indian Roads Congress|url=http://www.irc.nic.in/index1.aspx?lsid=151&lev=2&lid=155&langid=1|title= Indian Roads Congress - Roads|website=IRC.NIC.IN|publisher=IRC|access-date=12 August 2016}}</ref><ref name="DDPL" /><ref name="Indian Roads Congress - Roads"/><ref name="design-1948"/> meetings. He was appointed to the position of Consulting Engineer<ref name="HMSO" /> to the Government of India(Roads) in May 1942 and was later appointed as Industrial Adviser to the Government of India in April 1944.<ref name="HMSO" />
== Family background and early childhood ==


===Post-retirement===
He was born into a wealthy family in [[Madras]] in 1894. He was fiercely independent from his early childhood and would not tolerate any deviation from his stated goals. His father Shri Puttana Raju was well established in Madras Business circles and was known for [[Jewellery]] and [[Bullion]] trading including handling the Mint for the Government of the [[Madras Presidency]]. The family lived in a large [[bungalow]] in the Triplicane area of Madras and were devoted to Tirupati [[Venkateshwara|Lord Venkateswara]]. The origins of the family are linked to the divine grace of [[Shiva|Lord Shiva]] and [[Nimishamba Devi]] from where the origins of the famous clan of Soma Vamsha Arya Kshatriyas are traced through Copper plates and historical references to their forefathers Chakravathi Sumanaska and Chakravarthi Mukta Raju. This family belongs to the Stambhala clan bearing Bharadwaja Gothra of the Soma Vamsha Arya Kshatriyas. The Pravara is Angeerasa, Barhaspatya, Bharadwaja, Trayarsheya, Pravaranvita, Bharadwaja Gothra, Apastahambhasutra, Yajushaakhadhyayee.
After retiring from the ISE, he took over as the Chief Engineer with the [[Amalgamations Group|Simpsons Group]].He was also a lecturer in Civil Engineering at the Madras University from 1939-40 under the Maharaja of Travancore-Curzon Endowment scheme.<ref name="DDPL" /> Later he took on the position of Dean of Engineering studies at [[Annamalai University]]<ref name="DDPL" /> He also served as the Chairman,<ref name="DDPL" /> Board of Examiners as well as a member of the Academic Senate,<ref name="DDPL" /> Syndicate and Academic Council<ref name="DDPL" /> and The Association of Principals and Technical Institutions.<ref name="DDPL" />


== Education ==
==Recognition==
Raju was honoured by the Government of India with the [[Rao Bahadur]] award for contributions to the fields of Civil & Hydraulics Engineering and the development of Engineering Education.<ref name="DDPL"/><ref name="HMSO"/>


==Personal life==
Due to the fluctuations in the economic scenario during [[World War I]] the family lost a shipment of bullion and thoroughbred horses during the shelling by the German Cruiser [[Emden]] which wreaked havoc on the shipping lanes and eastern coast of [[South India|Southern India]]. Several clan members left Madras for the safer climes of Bangalore and Shri Puttana Raju found himself alone with his immediate family members in Madras in severely reduced circumstances. At this stage young Puttana Venkataramana Raju lost his father Shri Puttana Raju and defied his elder brother and decided not to join the family business, instead he poured all his energies into his studies and excelled in his final exams from the [[Hindu High School Triplicane]]<sup>[2]</sup>. His elder brother decided to distract young Puttana Venkataramana Raju from further studies and arranged for him to be married to Venkatamma from the [[Panaganti clan]] of Soma Vamsha Arya Kshatriyas. However young Puttana Venkatramana Raju saw through this ruse within a short time and turned the situation to his advantage, he collected the jewellery of his wife (promising to return the jewels to her later) and utilised the proceeds to buy the best Engineering books and instruments, secured admission on merit into The College of Engineering [[Guindy]], [[Madras]]<sup>3</sup> and settled into the hostel much to the annoyance of his brother. He stood First in Class and was awarded the Gold Medal from the College of Engineering Guindy Madras<sup>3</sup> in the Civil Engineering discipline. On account of his brilliant academic record, he qualified for the [[Indian Engineering Services|Indian Service of Engineers]]<sup>4</sup> and was offered a direct position of Assistant Executive Engineer (rather than Junior Engineer as was the normal practise). He was immediately trained in Europe on the Water Management systems there with particular emphasis on the [[Dyke (construction)|Dykes]] in Holland. While in Europe, he travelled widely and visited the famous diamond auction centre at Amsterdam. At the auction centre he casually selected a few stones from various lots and expressed his intention to purchase them. The auctioneers were surprised at the choice as he had managed to select the finest [[Blue Jaeger diamond]]s from among piles of not so valuable stones, he was offered a job on the spot. However he was not to be distracted from his main goal in his life which was Service to the Motherland and he returned to India after having studied the contemporary Engineering Practices in Europe.
Puttana Venkataramana Raju married S G Pillamma Venkatamma.They had 4 sons and 4 daughters.<ref name="DDPL" />


==References==
== Career with the Indian Service of Engineers ==
{{reflist}}


{{authority control}}
The PWD provided Puttana Venkataramana Raju the avenue to serve the motherland and he was involved in numerous Civil Engineering Projects which took him to remote areas of the Madras Presidency and upto Orissa. He was involved in construction of inland waterways and the famous [[Prakasam Barrage]] Project - his training in Europe stood him in good stead as he utilised all the best practices observed there for water management like the Dykes in Holland. Being a multi-faceted personality, he developed friendships in every town he was posted in right from his collegues in the Civil Service to the Rajas and their subjects. His focus on Service made him work beyond the call of duty and he quietly helped the downtrodden in every way he could. One of his talents was marksmanship and he was often called by helpless villagers to save them from man-eating tigers and leopards in the wild remote locations he was posted to and he would many a time spend the night up on a tree after a hard days work at the PWD projects. The nightly vigils and his accurate shooting helped to save many lives and rid the remote areas of man-eating tigers. The difficult conditions and strenuous lifestyle of camping out in the open resulted in several bouts of [[Hyperthermia|sun-stroke]], [[dengue fever]] and malaria which he never completely recovered from and affected his movement and normal life in later years.


⚫
{{DEFAULTSORT:Venkatramana Raju, Puttana}}
==A man of his word==

Puttana Venkataramana Raju was nothing if not a man of his word and he never forgot the help he had taken from his wife Venkatamma and whatever savings he made he invested wisely and always ensured her [[Quality of life|well-being]] and happiness. He returned all her jewellery and also made new pieces from the European Blue Jaeger diamonds which he had so carefully selected for her. They lived a happy life together and enjoyed their nomadic life as they moved from one project site to the next, sometimes staying in huge Government bungalows and at other times in humble tents and in rare cases as guests of friends in the towns they were posted to. All the projects developed by Puttana Venkataramana Raju which included Barrages, Dams, Roads, Airports... have stood the test of time and are still in use nearly a century later. He was intolerent of poor quality and many are the occassions when he has thrown juniors out of his office if they erred, often they would find files flying at them followed by an angry roar as he pointed out their mistakes and corrected them in the quest for service to the motherland.

==Later Years==

Puttana Venkataramana Raju was finally posted to develop Madras Airport in time for the requirements of the Defence of India during [[World War II]], he completed the project in record time and he was promoted to the position of Superintending Engineer, he was then honoured with the title of [[Rao Bahadur]] in recognition of his selfless service to the motherland and the downtrodden, after his retirement all his friends and relatives expected him to retire to a life of quietude, however he was requested by the Simpsons group to take over as their Chief Engineer (quite possibly he himself could not retire and wanted to be active), after his term there he took on the position of Dean of Engineering studies at [[Annamalai University]] and he was an active member of the Academic Senate. His wide circle of friends also enjoyed his company and he was a Grandmaster of the [[Masonic Lodge]], member of The Madras Club, The Madras Gymkhana Club and The Madras Race Club. He was an elected Fellow of the [[Institution of Engineers]](India)<sup>5</sup>. However, towards the end of his career his health was failing him and this robust talented man was unable to walk unaided, his fingers would shake and his strong voice was never the same but he was not one to allow this to slow him down and he would spend hours at his typewriter slowly typing out letters of encouragement to the younger generations of his family and to the youth who would visit him to learn from him. He always made it a point to reply to any letter written to him even if it took him an hour to type the reply and he would painstakingly sign-off as P V Raju using a [[fountain pen]] in blue ink at the end of the letter. His children and their families were his pride and joy and he had 4 sons and 4 daughters. All the children were educated to graduate levels and a few to Post-graduate levels while obtaining acadameic honours and prominent positions in society. His sons Brigadier Venkatramana Krishna Raju.B.E.([[Indian Army]]),Venkatramana Sreenivasa Raju.B.A., Venkataramana Ramachandra Raju.M.A.(Ranked Tennis player in Madras and later turned professional in USA) and Commander Venkatramana Narayan Raju<sup>6</sup>.B.E.,M.I.E.E.,F.I.E.([[Indian Navy]])carried on his good name through their service to the motherland and excellence in their chosen fields.

==Spiritual realisation==

Puttana Venkataramana Raju loved to begin his day by listening to the Tirupati Venkateswara Suprabatham, he loved to chant the Purushasuktam everyday and he even enjoyed darsan of Sri Chinmayananda, [[Ramana Maharshi|Ramana Maharishi]] and Bhagwan Sri Sri [[Sathya Sai Baba|Sri Satya Sai Baba]]. He was an expert in the [[Vedic science|vedic traditions]] and could discuss finer aspects with learned people. He died on 21 June 1975.

== Reference ==

1922 Kavyathirtha Shri Janamanchi Seshadri Sharma has translated 'Brahmanda Purana'in poetical form of Andhra language ref the 11th line of page 774 in the ultimate part of the 5th sub-chapter of 'Upodhata Pada'

1966 1st edition of Sri Muktarishi vamshodbhava Sri Soma Vamsha Arya Kshatriya Purana mentioning the 32 Gothras and Vamshavalli, and subsequent editions with authentication by Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya mahasamsthanam Sharada Peetham Sringeri ref 9111/76 camp Begaluru date 10.11.1976 & research by Vidwan S R Krishna Shastri Nivriddha Samskrita Adhyapakuru Arya Vidya Shala High School, Begaluru - Published by Sri B N SrinivasaRaju, Grandhakartha Panaganti Gopala Raju
1972 1st edition of Sri Soma Vamsha Puranam Rendo Bhagam Rendo Adhyayam- Published by Sri B N SrinivasaRaju, Grandhakartha Panaganti Gopala Raju

Avadi Township, Avadi Municipal Office, Madras 54, D Extract Year 1975 Month July Page 8 Annual No.50 Monthly No.1

==See also==
*[[Prominent Rajus]]

== External links ==
* [http://www.annauniv.edu/aboutus.php College of Engineering, Guindy, Madras], Batchelor of Engineering - winner of Gold Medal
* [http://www.upsc.gov.in/ Indian Service of Engineers] - Career with Public Works Department - retired as Superintending Engineer
* [http://www.ieindia.org/ Institution of Engineers India] - Elected to fellowship


⚫
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raju, Puttana Venkatramana}}
[[Category:1894 births]]
[[Category:1894 births]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian engineers]]
[[Category:Engineers from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Indian civil engineers]]
[[Category:Indian civil engineers]]
[[Category:People from Chennai]]
[[Category:Scientists from Chennai]]

Latest revision as of 21:43, 4 December 2024

Rao Bahadur Puttana Venkataramana Raju (ISE).[1] BE(Hons), FIE(I). (1894-1975[2]) was a civil engineer in the Indian Service of Engineers. His notable works include contributions to building the Dowleswaram Barrage, Prakasam Barrage and Madras Airport, roads and waterways. He received a Rao Bahadur award for his contributions to civil and hydraulics engineering and the development of engineering education.[1]

Career

[edit]

He qualified for the Indian Service of Engineers in 1919,[1][3] and engaged in many civil engineering projects with the Public Works Department.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

During World War II, he was posted as ARP Special Engineer under the War Department, Govt. of India to develop Madras Airport from 1942-44. He was promoted to the position of Superintending Engineer in March 1944.[1][3] He was subsequently conferred a Fellowship by the Institution of Engineers (India).[12][13][14][15][16] He was a Member of the International Association for Hydraulic Research.[3] He represented the Madras Govt. as their official delegate to several Indian Roads Congress[17][3][7][8] meetings. He was appointed to the position of Consulting Engineer[1] to the Government of India(Roads) in May 1942 and was later appointed as Industrial Adviser to the Government of India in April 1944.[1]

Post-retirement

[edit]

After retiring from the ISE, he took over as the Chief Engineer with the Simpsons Group.He was also a lecturer in Civil Engineering at the Madras University from 1939-40 under the Maharaja of Travancore-Curzon Endowment scheme.[3] Later he took on the position of Dean of Engineering studies at Annamalai University[3] He also served as the Chairman,[3] Board of Examiners as well as a member of the Academic Senate,[3] Syndicate and Academic Council[3] and The Association of Principals and Technical Institutions.[3]

Recognition

[edit]

Raju was honoured by the Government of India with the Rao Bahadur award for contributions to the fields of Civil & Hydraulics Engineering and the development of Engineering Education.[3][1]

Personal life

[edit]

Puttana Venkataramana Raju married S G Pillamma Venkatamma.They had 4 sons and 4 daughters.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Venkataramana Raju P Rao Bahadur", The India Office and Burma List 1947 & 1945, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office
  2. ^ P Venkataramana Raju (1975). "Avadi Township, Madras 54, India". Death Extract. Annual No. 50 (Monthly No. 1): 8.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Raju P Venkataramana (Rao Bahadur) : Eminent Indians Who was Who 1900-1980 - Durga Das Pvt. Ltd.,1985.
  4. ^ Sri. Rao Bahadur P.V.Raju, Superintending Engineer, Madras (1947). "Madras Legislative Council Debates". Official Report. 11: 252. Retrieved 22 July 2016.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Sri P Venkataramana Raju (1945). "case studies of Roads in Holland & The reclamation of the Zuyder Zee in Holland". The Calendar. 1939–40. University of Madras: 280. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  6. ^ The Congress expresses its thanks to the PWD Madras and Rao Bahadur P V Raju. Indian Roads Congress., 1944 - Highway engineering. Vol. 9. 1944. p. 11. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  7. ^ a b Rao Bahadur P.V.Raju (1947). (iii) Design of Rigid Pavements. Indian Roads Congress - Roads. Vol. XII-5. p. 344. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  8. ^ a b Rao Bahadur P.V.Raju (1948). (ii) Design of Rigid Pavements. Indian Roads Congress - Roads. Vol. XIII-4. p. 3. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  9. ^ P.V.Raj, Madras (1950). Highway Engineering. Indian Roads Congress - Roads. Vol. XV. p. 51. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  10. ^ P.V.Raj (11 December 1953). Highway Engineering. Indian Roads Congress - Roads. Vol. XV11-1. p. 654. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  11. ^ P.V.Raj (12 April 1955). Roads. Indian Roads Congress - Roads. Vol. XIX-1. p. 775. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  12. ^ a b Shri. P V Raju : The Journal of the Institution of Engineers (India)-The Institution, December1950 volume 30 issue=1-3 page=7,25,57
  13. ^ a b Shri. P V Raju : The Journal of the Institution of Engineers (India) The Institution, September1953 volume 34 page=209,690
  14. ^ Rao Bahadur P Venkataramana Raju, Superintending Engineer - Madras Government (10 October 1944). Felicitation on award of Rao Bahadur by Arya Kshatriya Seva Sangha Estd.1930, Bengaluru. Bengaluru: Vani Press, Bengaluru City, Mysore State. p. 1.
  15. ^ Rao Bahadur P Venkataramana Raju (12 June 1966). Sri Muktarishivamshodbhava Sri Soma Vamsha Arya Kshatriya Purana (1st Edition - Part 1 ed.). Bengaluru City, Mysuru State, India: Sri B N Srinivasa with research by Vidwan S R Krishna Shastri.
  16. ^ Rao Bahadur P Venkataramana Raju (12 March 1972). Sri Somavamsha Puranam II (2nd Edition - Part II ed.). Bengaluru City, Mysuru State, India: Sri B N Srinivasa.
  17. ^ Indian Roads Congress. "Indian Roads Congress - Roads". IRC.NIC.IN. IRC. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
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