Ajudhiya Nath Khosla

Background

Ajudhiya Nath Khosla was born on December 11, 1892 in Jalandhar, Punjab, India.

Education

After passing the matriculation in 1908 he took his BA with honours from D.A.V. College, Lahore, in 1912. He then joined the Thomason College of Civil Engineering (now IIT Roorkee) in 1913 and passed out in 1916 as a civil engineer.

Career

After graduating in 1916, Ajudhiya Nath Khosla started his career with the Irrigation Branch of the Punjab Public Works Department. In few years, the Indian Service of Engineers (ISE) was established (1919) and he was allotted his first assignment (September 1917– March 1921) for surveys and investigations of Bhakra Dam Project. During this period, he spent 18 months on deputation to Mesopotamia as a commissioned officer with the Indian Expeditionary Force. While serving there (1918–1920) he developed the Khosla Disc for precision levelling across rivers and wide valleys. From 1921 to 1926 he was involved in the construction of the Suleimanke Barrage.

In 1931 Khosla was deputed to the US and Europe to study soil reclamation, water logging and the latest techniques in dam design. On his return he was posted to the Panjnad Head Works of Sutlej Valley Canals. Between June and September 1936 while in charge of the Hafizabad Division, he wrote his magnum opus, The design of weirs on permeable foundation. This publication revolutionised the design of such structures in India and abroad.

Achievements

• Ajudhiya Nath Khosla applied his methods to the design of the Trimmu Barrage and constructed it within two years (1937-1939), against the normal period of 4-5 years. He developed the Poona Research Station at Khadakvasla into Central Water and Power Station. He undertook planning, design and, as in Hirakud Dam, construction of major Water Resources Projects.
  
  Ajudhiya Nath Khosla was instrumental in bringing about a number of agreements on negotiations for Indus Water Dispute with Pakistan.
  
  Ajudhiya Nath Khosla was the founder of two specialized engineering departments, which have made the University internationally known: the Water Resources Development Training Centre and the School of Research and Training in Earthquake Engineering.

Works

• book

  • Design of weirs on permeable foundations 1954

Membership

Was a member of Institution of Engineers (Past-President), International Commission on Irrigation & Drainage (1950), Bhakra Board of Consultants (Chairman), Central Board of Geophysics (Chairman), Committee on Piao Projects, Committee on Railway Bridges (Chairman 1957), Indian Parliament (1958-1959).

• Planning Commission , India

  1959 - 1962