SHRI SUMAT KISHORE JAIN

(17-1-1916—11-3-1974)

Late Shri S.K. Jain was a brilliant and eminent Engineer. By virtue of his professional competence and dedicated services to the country, he rose to the highest post in his field, namely that of Chairman, Central Water St Power Commission and Ex-Officio Secretary to the Government of India.

Shri Jain was born on 17th January, 1916 in a highly respectable family of Delhi. His father Rai Bahadur Nand Kishore was also an eminent Engineer and was Member of the prestigious Indian Service of Engineers (ISE).

Shri Jain passed B.A. Hons. (Mathematics) from Delhi University in 1933 and Civil Engineering from Thomason College of Civil Engineering, Roorkee in 1936 at the age of 20. He had all through a brilliant academic career.

He joined the U.P. Irrigation Department in 1936 and after serving in various capacities rose to the position of Chief Engineer in 1962. As early as 1946 he had been selected and deputed to U.S.A. for specialisation in High Dams.

He had a major hand in the planning of all important irrigation and power projects presently under implementation in U.P. and the design and construction of Rihand Dam was entirely his contribution. For his meritorious and comman dable work on this Project he was conferred the President’s Award of Padma Shri in 1963.

Although a Civil Engineer, he also served as Chairman, U.P. State Electricity Board from 1967 to 1969, before joining the Government of India as Member, Central Water & Power Commission. After serving for only one year on that post he was promoted as Chairman of this Organisation, in which capacity he served for four years before his retirement.

Shri Jain combined the qualities of head with nobility of character and a high sense of integrity. He led all through a life of “simple living and high thinking”. He had a clear understanding of the Jain philosophy and practised its teachings in the true and real sense.