Satara PWD engineers Ajay Deshpande, Nilesh Kohale to get Best Engineer award

The Public Works Department is responsible for building roads, bridges, government buildings and other major structures, and for carrying out various important public works and development projects. Engineers in the department carry a significant responsibility for ensuring the quality, safety and standards of this work. Every year, the state government honours engineers who have made a notable contribution through their technical skill and administrative experience with individual awards. This year, the honour has gone to two engineers from the Satara Public Works Department, Ajay Deshpande and Nilesh Kohale.

Ajay Deshpande currently serves as deputy engineer at Phaltan, while Nilesh Kohale is a section engineer in the Satara Public Works Department. The state government will honour both of them as "Best Engineer" for their notable work. Every year on September 15, Engineers' Day is celebrated across the country to mark the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya. The two will be presented the award at a special programme organised on that day.

Ajay Deshpande's main contribution is the Tapola cable-stay bridge. While serving as deputy engineer at Mahabaleshwar, he effectively oversaw the work on this bridge over the Shivsagar reservoir near Tapola. The bridge is the first cable-stay bridge in the district and has given a major boost to connectivity in a remote area. The project was highly challenging from an engineering standpoint, and Deshpande paid special attention to technical aspects, construction quality, safety and implementation of the work. His selection for the award came in recognition of this technical skill and administrative capability.

Nilesh Kohale has also worked responsibly on various construction projects as a section engineer in the Public Works Department. He has also made his mark on efficiency while working in the Medha construction sub-division. Notably, his selection for the award has come just a few years into his service, which makes this recognition of his work stand out further.

Officials, staff of the Public Works Department and others in the construction field have congratulated Ajay Deshpande and Nilesh Kohale on their selection. It is felt that, on the occasion of Engineers' Day, both officers will add another feather to Satara's cap.