Personal Information

Full Name: Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao

Nickname: C.N.R. Rao

Country/State: India

Date of Birth: 1934-06-30

Languages Known: Kannada, English, Sanskrit, Hindi

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Food Habit: Vegetarian

Religion: Hinduism

Hobbies: Indian Classical Music (Hindustani), Literature, Cooking, Teaching & Mentoring Students

Education

School: Acharya Patashala High School, Basavanagudi, Bangalore

College: Acharya Patashala High School, Basavanagudi, Bangalore

Degrees Obtained: B.Sc, M.Sc, Ph.D., D.Sc, and approx. 85+ Honorary Doctorates from universities globally.

Physical Stats

Height: 160 cm

Weight: 75 kg

Family Information

Parents: Not publicly available

Siblings: Not publicly available

Marital Status: married

Wife: Indumati Rao

Children: 2

Career

Current Position: Linus Pauling Research Professor; Honorary President of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR).

Skills:

Net Worth: Not Publicly Available

Awards & Achievements: Bharat Ratna (2014) - India's highest civilian award. Padma Vibhushan (1985) Padma Shri (1974) Dan David Prize (2005) Royal Medal (2009) by the Royal Society, London. Von Hippel Award (2017) - Highest honor in Materials Science. Eni Award (2020) - Considered the Nobel Prize in Energy Research. First recipient of the India Science Award.

Biography Details

Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao (C.N.R. Rao) is a colossal figure in the world of chemistry and India's most celebrated living scientist. Born on June 30, 1934, in Bangalore to a Kannada Deshastha Brahmin family, he was an only child who was home-tutored by his mother in his early years. He completed his Ph.D. from Purdue University at the astonishing age of 24.

Rao is one of the world's foremost authorities on Solid State and Materials Chemistry. He has authored over 1,800 research papers and wrote or edited 50+ books. He is credited with major contributions to the understanding of transition metal oxides, high-temperature superconductivity, and nanomaterials (specifically graphene and carbon nanotubes).

He founded the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) in Bangalore, a premier research institute. Throughout his career, he has served as the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India under multiple administrations, effectively shaping India's science policy for decades. He is known for his simple lifestyle and his disdain for bureaucracy in science.

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