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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = V. S. Rao
|order =
|image = File:Vajja_Sambasiva_Rao.jpg
|caption =
|successor =
|predecessor =
| office2 =
|birth_name= Vajja Sambasiva Rao
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1953|01|21}} <ref name=AndhraJyothi>{{cite news
| last =
| first =
| date = 1 August 2015
| title = Thulluru నివాస కోసం సువర్ణ అవకాశం
| trans-title = Golden opportunity for the resident of Thullur
| url = http://epaper.andhrajyothy.com/news?cat=guntur&day=20150801#15
| language = Telugu
| newspaper = [[Andhra Jyothy]]
| location = Guntur
| access-date = 1 August 2015
}}</ref>
|birth_place = [[Thullur]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[India]]
|death_date =
|death_place =
|spouse = Parvathi Vajja
|residence = [[Hyderabad]], [[Telangana]], [[India]]
|alma_mater = [[Andhra University]]<br />[[Birla Institute of Technology and Science|BITS-Pilani]]<br />[[University of Bielefeld]]
|profession = [[College administrator]], [[Academic]]
|imagesize =
|term_start =
|term_end =
| term_start2 =
| term_end2 =
|}}

'''Vajja Sambasiva Rao''', also known as '''V. S. Rao''' (born 21 January 1953) is an Indian academician and the former President of [[NIIT University]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2016-05-24/news/73315280_1_niit-university-bits-pilani-rajendra-pawar|title=Prof VS Rao of BITS Pilani to join NIIT University as its next president|access-date=2016-07-08}}</ref> Relinquishing his position at NIIT University on 30 June 2020, he embraced the role of Vice-Chancellor at [[SRM University, Andhra Pradesh|SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh]] from 1 July 2020. He was previously the Acting Vice-Chancellor of [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science]], and the Director of the [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani – Hyderabad|Hyderabad Campus]] of the BITS-Pilani University. He was responsible for establishing BITS Pilani Hyderabad campus. He is an alumnus of BITS-Pilani and had been associated with the university for more than four decades in various capacities. As director, he was regarded as being instrumental in the establishment of the Hyderabad Campus.

== Early life and education ==

Rao was born on 21 January 1953 in a village named [[Thullur]], situated in the [[Guntur District]] of [[Andhra Pradesh]]. He was born to Vajja Venkatapathi and Vajja Anasuyamma, farmers by profession.<ref name=AndhraJyothi/> After finishing his 10th grade at KVR ZP High School<ref name= Farmer>{{cite news
| last =
| first =
| date = 31 July 2015
| title = సాధారణ రైతు కుమారుడు ఇప్పుడు బిట్స్ పిలాని నాయకుడు
| trans-title = Farmer's son to lead BITS-Pilani
| url =
| language = Telugu
| newspaper = [[Eenadu]]
| location = Hyderabad
}}</ref> in [[Thullur]], he went on to complete his higher secondary education at [[Andhra-Christian College]], [[Guntur]].<ref name=AndhraJyothi/> Later, he pursued graduate studies at the same college and received B.Sc. (Chemistry) degree from [[Andhra University]]<ref name= Farmer/> in 1972.

After graduation, Rao joined [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science|BITS-Pilani, Pilani Campus]], [[Rajasthan]] in 1972 and went on to receive M.Sc. (Chemistry) and PhD (Chemistry) degrees, in 1974 and 1979 respectively, from the [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science|BITS-Pilani University]].<ref name=AndhraJyothi/> His fields of specializations include [[Organic Chemistry]], [[Drug design|Drug Design and Synthesis]], and [[Green Chemistry]]. Rao also obtained a Certificate in [[Education Economics|Educational Economics and Research]] from [[University of Bielefeld]], [[Germany]] in 1998.<ref name=Qualification>{{cite web
|url= http://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/Hyderabad/vsrao/Qualification
|title= Faculty Profile (Qualification)
|date=
|publisher= [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani – Hyderabad|BITS-Pilani, Hyderabad Campus]]
|access-date= 2 September 2015
}}</ref>

== Academic career ==

Rao began his academic career in 1980 as an Assistant Lecturer<ref name=TeachingExperience>{{cite web
|url= http://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/Hyderabad/vsrao/TeachingExperience
|title= Faculty Profile (Teaching Experience)
|date=
|website=
|publisher= [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani – Hyderabad|BITS-Pilani, Hyderabad Campus]]
|access-date= 2 September 2015
}}</ref> at [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science|BITS-Pilani, Pilani Campus]], [[Rajasthan]]. He was later promoted as [[Assistant Professor]], [[Associate Professor]] and [[Professor]], in 1982, 1990 and 1995 respectively.<ref name=TeachingExperience/> The courses taught by him included [[Organic Chemistry]], [[Physical organic chemistry|Structure and Reactivity of Organic Compounds]], [[Organic synthesis|Synthetic Organic Chemistry]], and [[Dynamic stereochemistry|Stereo Chemistry and Reaction Mechanisms]].

In addition to academic responsibilities, Rao also held offices in administrative capabilities. He was an in-charge of the Practice School Division of the university from 1980 to 1988. From 1988 to 1995, he was the [[Warden (college)|Chief Warden]]<ref name=TeachingExperience/> of the [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science|Pilani Campus]] of the university. In 1995, Rao was appointed as the Dean of the Practice School Division and held the office till 2006 along with holding the office of Deputy Director, Off-campus Programmes from 2000 to 2006.<ref name=TeachingExperience/>

In 2006, Rao assumed the office of Director, [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani – Hyderabad|BITS-Pilani, Hyderabad Campus]].<ref name=TeachingExperience/> He is regarded as playing a pivotal role in the construction and the establishment of the campus in Hyderabad. The Phase-I of the construction of the campus was finished in 2014 with the inauguration of the Auditorium. The entirely residential campus houses 3000 students and 160 faculty members in 13 departments.<ref name=Farmer/>

In 2013, he was awarded the Eminent Educationist Award by Indo Global Educational Council. He was also honored by [[Telugu Association of North America]] (TANA), USA for contribution to excellence in education in 2013.

After the end of the five-year tenure of Prof. Bijendra Nath Jain as the Vice-Chancellor of the [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science|BITS-Pilani University]],<ref name=EconomicTimes>{{cite news
| last =
| first =
| date = 3 August 2015
| title = BITS Pilani appoints V Sambasiva Rao as acting vice chancellor
| url = http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-08-03/news/65165375_1_bits-pilani-bijendra-nath-jain-pilani-campus#.Vdaly9KMdnY.email
| newspaper = [[The Economic Times|Economic Times]]
| location = [[Pilani]]
| access-date = 2 September 2015
}}</ref> Prof. V.S.Rao took over the charge as Acting Vice-Chancellor on 31 July 2015.<ref>{{cite news
| last =
| first =
| date = 10 August 2015
| title = BITS Pilani appoints acting Vice Chancellor
| url = http://www.newindianexpress.com/education/edex/Campus-Talk/2015/08/10/article2960986.ece
| newspaper = [[The New Indian Express]]
| location =
| access-date = 2 September 2015
}}</ref> For that period, he executed his duties as both Vice-Chancellor of the university and as Director of [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani – Hyderabad|BITS-Pilani, Hyderabad Campus]].<ref>{{cite web
|url= http://www.bitsaa.org/news/242305/Announcing-Change-in-Leadership-At-BITS-Pilani.htm
|title= Announcing Change in Leadership At BITS Pilani
|date= 21 July 2015
|publisher= BITSAA
|access-date= 2 September 2015
}}
</ref>

On 23 May 2016, it was announced that Prof. Rao would be joining NIIT University as its new President.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.niituniversity.in/renowned-education-administrator-prof-vs-rao-of-bits-pilani-to-join-niit-university-as-its-next-president/|title=Renowned education administrator Prof VS Rao of BITS Pilani to join NIIT University as its next President - NIIT University: MBA and BTech, MTech & PhD Engineering Courses in Computer Science, Biotechnology, ICT, Educational Technology and Bio-informatics|language=en-US|access-date=2016-07-08}}</ref> He was succeeded by Prof. Souvik Bhattacharya as Vice-Chancellor of BITS-Pilani.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/university/SouvikBhattacharyya/profile|title=Prof. Souvik Bhattacharyya - Vice Chancellor|last=|first=|date=|website=www.bits-pilani.ac.in|access-date=2016-07-08}}</ref> Prof G. Sundar succeeded him as Director of Hyderabad Campus.

== See also ==

* [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science]]
* [[Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani – Hyderabad]]
* [[Kumar Mangalam Birla]]
* [[GD Birla]]
* [[List of BITS alumni]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/Hyderabad/vsrao/Profile Faculty Profile (BITS-Pilani, Hyderabad Campus)]
* [http://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/index.aspx BITS-Pilani Official Website]
* [http://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/Hyderabad/ BITS-Pilani, Hyderabad Campus Official Website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Vajja Sambasiva}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Scholars from Hyderabad, India]]
[[Category:People from Guntur district]]
[[Category:Scholars from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Andhra University alumni]]
[[Category:Bielefeld University alumni]]
[[Category:Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani alumni]]

Vajja Sambasiva Rao - Revision history

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