[India Insights] Engineers' Day and Vishwakarma Puja

Let's explore India's Engineers' Day and Vishwakarma Puja.

-How India Approaches Technology, Safety, and the Future of Manufacturing- When I first entered the Indian market, one of the scenes that puzzled me was seeing factory equipment, forklifts, trucks, and even office server racks adorned with colorful flower decorations and garlands. While this might look unfamiliar to Koreans, for Indians, it is not mere decoration—it is a cultural symbol expressing respect for their workplace, machinery, and safety. Every September, India’s industrial sites and corporate offices fill with this special enthusiasm. This is due to two consecutive observances coming just two days apart: 'Engineers' Day' (September 15) and 'Vishwakarma Puja' (September 17, 2026). This week—connecting a day honoring engineering innovation and design with a day praying for the safety of field equipment and skilled personnel—clearly demonstrates India's unique perspective toward technology and technical craftsmanship. 1. September 15, Engineers' Day: Engineering Icons of National Development India's 'Engineers' Day' was established in 1968 to commemorate the birthday of Sir M. Visvesvaraya (1861–1962), a pioneering infrastructure developer and former Dewan (Prime Minister) of the Kingdom of Mysore. During the British colonial era, he laid the foundation for India's self-reliance by patenting automatic sluice gate systems, constructing major dams, and building flood protection systems. Believing that engineering was the core of post-independence nation-building and decolonization, India has respected engineers not merely as working professionals, but as key architects of the nation. Foundation of Bengaluru’s Tech Ecosystem: An alumnus of Central College, Bengaluru, Sir Visvesvaraya led the establishment of UVCE (University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering) in 1917 —Karnataka's first and India's fifth engineering college. Symbolism and Continuity: Located at KR Circle in central Bengaluru, UVCE remains a flagship engineering institution in Karnataka, hosting grand academic and commemorative events around Engineers' Day. This educational groundwork provided a crucial foundation for Bengaluru to later evolve into a hub for engineering, science, and high-tech industries. 2. Vishwakarma Puja: Prayers for the Divine Architect and Machinery Right after Engineers' Day, India's industrial sector welcomes 'Vishwakarma Puja.' Celebrated on 'Kanya Sankranti' (when the sun enters Virgo), it is grandly observed across eastern India's industrial belts—such as West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Bihar—and widely celebrated nationwide in manufacturing and construction sectors. According to Hindu tradition, 'Vishwakarma' is the sacred architect and craftsman of the gods, who built Krishna’s city of Dwarka and weapons for the deities. Indian technicians and artisans regard him as their patron deity. Maintenance of Equipment and Digital Assets: On this day, workers clean and organize their machinery, tools, vehicles, robotic arms, and even IT infrastructure like servers and computers, decorating them with orange marigold garlands. On-Site Maintenance and Rituals: Prayers are offered to ask for "zero equipment breakdown, workplace safety, and business prosperity." Major manufacturing plants perform preventive maintenance, organize workplace environments, and hold communal meals and events. 3. Changing Perspectives in India and the Value of Global Skilled Labor Traditionally, Indian society placed a strong preference on degree-based professional careers, leading to field technical roles being relatively undervalued. However, driven by policies such as 'Make in India,' 'Skill India,' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-Reliant India), alongside global supply chain realignments, a major mindset shift is occurring. As skilled personnel entering domestic and overseas job markets achieve high performance and elevate their economic and social standing, a culture that values practical technical expertise is spreading rapidly. Rising as a Global Skilled Talent Source: Global industries, including South Korea, face severe shortages of skilled labor across sectors—from labor-intensive roles to high-tech areas like semiconductors, automotive, and EV batteries. Consequently, the demand and value for qualified foreign technical talent, including Indian engineers, continue to rise. Field Experience and Tacit Knowledge: No matter how fast technology paradigms evolve, all advanced technology operates on a foundation of long-accumulated basics. The fine-tuned on-site know-how and tacit knowledge of skilled workers—which cannot be easily codified into manuals —are irreplaceable assets that transform technological innovation into actual product quality. ☞ This shift goes beyond changing perceptions about jobs; it shows that as India advances its industrial structure toward manufacturing, the economic value of skilled craftsmanship is being reevaluated. 4. India’s Manufacturing Transition: Technical Education, Standardization, and Mismatch Resolution Shifting from a historical reliance on agriculture, IT, and services, the Indian economy is building domestic production capacity to become a global manufacturing hub. Under the mantra of "producing what we consume," the Indian government is driving various initiatives to absorb its vast youth population into a world-class manufacturing workforce. Transition from Quantitative to Qualitative Growth: While past manufacturing policies focused on job creation and capacity expansion, the recent focus has shifted toward qualitative growth—emphasizing productivity, quality, safety, and global supply chain readiness. Bridging the Skilled Labor Mismatch: Despite a large talent pool, manufacturing sites report a shortage of job-ready skilled workers —a challenge rooted in industry skill mismatches rather than sheer headcount shortages. National initiatives are actively standardizing technical education to develop talent equipped with quality control, maintenance, safety, and SOP capabilities aligned with global corporate standards. Linking GCCs with Field Manufacturing: There is a growing trend to connect the design and R&D capabilities of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India with local advanced manufacturing plants and testbeds. 5. Assetization of Skilled Talent, Evolution of Turnover Culture, and 'Jugaad' This industrial advancement is bringing tangible changes to India's workplace culture and employment structures. Unlike the high turnover historically seen in white-collar and IT sectors, retaining skilled factory workers has become a primary business objective. Assetization of Skilled Personnel: As automated equipment and stricter quality standards raise the value of technicians, companies are bolstering professional training and welfare benefits to encourage long-term tenure. Skilled workers also increasingly prefer environments where they can build stable expertise over short-term wage increases. Fusion of 'Jugaad' with Global Standards: India's unique culture of Jugaad —frugal innovation and resourceful problem-solving—is evolving. Today, Indian manufacturing competitiveness lies in combining field flexibility with international quality standards, standard operating procedures, and EHS (Environment, Health, and Safety) systems to ensure both creative problem-solving and reproducible processes. ▶ On-Site Execution Examples Safety training and hazard area marking around Vishwakarma Puja LOTO (Lock-out/Tag-out) equipment inspections Awards for outstanding safety employees and worker safety suggestion schemes ☞ When traditional respects like hanging flowers on machinery align with modern safety management systems, Vishwakarma Puja re-emerges as a meaningful safety culture event where Indian heritage meets contemporary EHS. Closing Thoughts If Engineers' Day celebrates the value of design and innovation, Vishwakarma Puja celebrates the people and machinery that safely bring that innovation to life on the shop floor. Just as Korean corporate culture hosts traditional rituals ( Gosa ) for safety and prosperity when opening new facilities, Vishwakarma Puja shares a deep common ground in its core values of safety and respect for workers. This September, try sharing a simple gesture with your local Indian team. Rather than an elaborate ceremony, start by inspecting factory machinery together, placing a flower on a piece of equipment, and sharing refreshments with your team. This small touch leads to trust—showing that you respect their culture and field value —building stronger industrial relations and productivity in your Indian operations.