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| John Pennycuick, The Mullaperiyar Dam,TN |
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| The Mullaperiyar Dam,Tamil Nadu. en.wikipedia.org |
John Pennycuick, the British engineer who constructed the Mullaperiyar Dam, left an indelible mark on Southern Tamil Nadu, where his legacy endures as a hero for his dedication to the region's welfare. He converted a vast swathe of dry land with poor rain into a fertile land.
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| Location map drishtiias.com |
Born on January 15, 1841, in Pune, India, to Brigadier-General John Pennycuick and his wife Sarah, he was educated at Cheltenham College and followed his father’s footsteps into the British Army. Joining the East India Company Military College in Surrey in 1857, Pennycuick was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Madras Engineer Group by 1858. Rising to the rank of Major in 1876, he earned accolades for his bravery during the Abyssinian campaign of 1868 and was awarded the Companion of the Order of the Star of India.
The Mullaperiyar Dam project, which redirected water from the Periyar River westward to irrigate the arid regions of Southern Tamil Nadu, had its origins as early as 1789 when Pradani Muthirulappa Pillai, a minister of the Ramnad kingdom, first envisioned it. However, early attempts were abandoned due to high costs and engineering challenges in the midst of thick wooded lands infested with mosquitoes and poisonous creators in the lands. Pennycuick took over the project in 1882, revising the designs to address the region’s difficult terrain and challenging weather. The project received approval in 1884, but there were obstacles, including funding withdrawals due to flood damage and malaria outbreaks among workers. The location of the project was not under the British Raj but was under the control of the Travancore ruler, The work began to take shape on completing lease agreement over use of the land, water, etc., for 999 years between the Rajah of Travancore and the British Crown,
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Determined to see the project through, Pennycuick famously funded the work by selling his wife's jewelry, emphasizing his belief in the dam's importance for future generations. His vision was realized in 1895 when the dam was completed, bringing much-needed irrigation to the drought-prone regions of Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, and Ramanathapuram, transforming agriculture in these areas and irrigating over 223,000 acres.
Pennycuick' s quote, “I am going to be only once in this earthly world, hence I need to do some good deeds here,” captures his sense of duty and foresight. His name remains revered across Tamil Nadu, especially as each generation remembers the "man who gave water" through the Mullaperiyar Dam, a testament to his resolve and contributions to the people of Southern India.
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