The Religious Engineer

An Interview with Veer Bhadra Mishra, or Mahantji, professor of Hydrolics at BHU IT and Head Priest, Sankat Morchan

GT: When and where were you born?
MJ : l was born in 1939 in Banaras.

GT: Could you tell us something about yourself and your family?
MJ: My father died when l was 14, after which l lived with my mother. l am the only son in the entire family. l thought of teaching in B.H.U. when l grew up. This was my own decision, and l have fulfilled my ambition. l am 63. l have got three sons and two daughters. Two of them are engineers and one them is a doctor.My two daughters are educated housewives. 

GT: Why did you choose this path?
MJ: l treat Ganga as my mother.l talk to it about my pleasures and sorrows and l cannot see the Ganga in this state. So l chose this path.

GT: What steps have you taken to improve the environment of Varanasi?
MJ: We have not been able do to anything. We are just associated with welfare projects. The river Ganga is very big, around 2600 km, and will take time to clean up.

FUNDUNG

GT: What is the government doing to clean up Ganga?
MJ: They are doing nothing. They are just telling lies in Supreme Court and no actrion has been taken to clean up the Ganges till now. 

GT: What is the Ganga action Plan?
MJ: In 1986 Rajiv Gandhi started a plan to clean up Ganga which included the major cities along the river like Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna and Calcutta. Some smaller cities like Haridwar, Mirjapur etc were also included but nothing got started.

GT: What is our role?
MJ: Your school can adopt one ghat and start cleaning up. You as a person should always have an agenda in life for which you should be very committed.