C. N. R. Rao

C. N. R. Rao. Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao is an eminent Indian chemist and a leading authority in the field of solid-state chemistry and materials science. He has made pioneering contributions to the study of transition metal oxides, high-temperature superconductivity, and nanomaterials like carbon nanotubes and graphene. A prolific author and institution-builder, Rao has served as the head of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India and founded the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research in Bangalore.

Early life and education

C. N. R. Rao was born on 30 June 1934 in Bangalore, then part of the Kingdom of Mysore in British India. He completed his bachelor's and master's degrees in chemistry from the University of Mysore in 1951 and 1953, respectively. He then earned a second master's degree from Banaras Hindu University in 1955. Awarded a scholarship, Rao pursued his doctoral studies at Purdue University in the United States under the guidance of R. C. Mehrotra, receiving his PhD in 1958. He conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley and later held a faculty position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Scientific career and research

Returning to India in 1959, Rao joined the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore as a faculty member, where he established a renowned school of solid-state chemistry. His early work focused on the electronic structure and magnetic properties of transition metal oxides, leading to fundamental insights into metal-insulator transitions. He played a key role in the development of India's space program and defense research through materials science. In 1989, he founded the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, serving as its president and fostering interdisciplinary research. His later work expanded into nanoscience, where he made significant advances in the synthesis and characterization of carbon nanotubes, inorganic nanotubes, and graphene, publishing extensively in journals like *Nature* and *Science*.

Awards and honors

Rao is one of the most decorated scientists in India. His honors include the Padma Shri in 1974, the Padma Vibhushan in 1985, and the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 2014. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and has received its Hughes Medal (2000) and Royal Medal (2009). International recognitions include the Dan David Prize, the Japan Prize, and the Legion of Honour from France. He is a Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States and a founding fellow of the World Academy of Sciences. He has received honorary doctorates from over 60 universities worldwide, including Cambridge, Oxford, and Chicago.

Personal life and legacy

Rao is married to Indumati Rao, and the couple has two children. A passionate advocate for science education and policy, he has advised successive governments in India and served as the chairman of the Prime Minister's Science Advisory Council. His legacy is marked not only by his vast scientific output but also by his role in mentoring generations of Indian scientists and establishing world-class research institutions. The C. N. R. Rao Education Foundation promotes science learning, and his life and work have been documented in biographies and featured by institutions like the Indian National Science Academy.

Selected bibliography

Rao has authored over 1,800 research papers and more than 50 books. Key monographs include *Transition Metal Oxides* (published by Academic Press), *Chemistry of Nanomaterials* (Wiley-VCH), and *Understanding Chemistry* (University Press). He has also edited seminal series like *Modern Aspects of Solid State Chemistry* and authored the textbook *Solid State Chemistry*. His autobiography, *Climbing the Limitless Ladder*, was published by World Scientific.

Category:Indian chemists Category:Materials scientists Category:Recipients of the Bharat Ratna