Rao is a title awarded to influential landlords/jagirdars native to India. It is awarded to Yadavs in Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan and to Brahmins in Goa and Karnataka. In Telangana & Andhra Pradesh it is used by Velama (known as doras) , Mudhiraj (Known as Kings) caste falls under kshatriya. In Maharashtra it is used by Marathas castes .
As a surname
Notable people with this surname or title include the following:
- Ayyagari Sambasiva Rao (1914–2003), an Indian scientist, founder of the Electronics Corporation of India Limited
- Adinarayana Rao, Telugu film director and founder of Anjali pictures.
- Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Telugu film actor and founder of Annapurna studios. He received Padma Bhushan for his contribution to film industry.
- Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao (1920-), Indian-born American mathematician and statistician
- Chennamaneni Hanumantha Rao, Indian economist and writer
- Chintapenta Satyanarayana Rao, Indian writer, actor, director and producer
- Chittajallu Srinivasa Rao (1924–2004), an Indian film actor, writer and director
- Dabeeru C. Rao, Indian-American statistical geneticist
- Dasari Narayana Rao, Telugu film director and Actor.
- Dileep Rao (1973–), American actor
- Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Indian Politician, Ex Lok Sabha Member
- Gundu Hanumantha Rao, Indian actor
- Gnaneshwara Rao, Indian cricketer
- Joginder Singh Rao, Indian cricketer
- Karri Narayana Rao, Indian lawyer, Ex Member of Lok Sabha and Indian Politician
- Kemburi Ramamohan Rao, Indian Politician, Ex Member of Lok Sabha
- Kimidi Kalavenkata Rao, Indian Politician, Ex Minister, Ex Member of Rajya Sabha
- K. Keshava Rao, Member of Rajya Sabha
- K. R. Rao, professor of electrical engineering at the University of Texas and co-inventor of the discrete cosine transform
- K. S. Rama Rao, Telugu cinema producer
- Kodela Siva Prasad Rao, speaker of Andhra Pradesh Assembly
- Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao, Chief minister of Telangana
- Michael Rao (1967–), president of Virginia Commonwealth University since 2009
- Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao, Indian Politician, Ex Member of Lok Sabha and Minister in Andhra Pradesh Cabinet
- N. T. Rama Rao (28 May 1923 – 18 January 1996), film personality and former chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh
- Narla Tata Rao, Engineer and recipient of Padma Shri award
- Neomi Rao, American attorney and government official
- Nirmala Rao, British academic, present VC of Asian University for Women.
- Pappala Chalapathi Rao, Indian Politician
- P. V. Narasimha Rao - 9th Prime Minister Of India
- Rajkummar Rao, Indian film actor.
- Amrita Rao, Indian Film actress
- Panje Mangesh Rao (22 February 1874-1937) Indian writer and poet
- Aditi Rao Hydari, Indian film actress
- Preetika Rao, Indian television actress
- Ramoji Rao, Telugu businessman, owner of Ramoji group
- Samarla Venkata Ranga Rao (3 July 1918 – 18 July 1974), Telugu film actor and recipient of Rashtrapati Award and International Award.
- Thummala Nageswara Rao, Telangana minister
- Udupi Ramachandra Rao - Indian Space Scientist and Director of ISRO
- V. Hanumantha Rao, Ex Member of Rajya Sabha, Indian Politician
- Vandana Rao, Arjuna Awardee who represented India in 1984 and 1988 Olympics in 4 × 400 m women relay race
- Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga Rao (known as Ranga; July 4, 1947 – December 26, 1988) was an Indian National Congress politician
- Vanama Venkateshwara Rao, Ex. Minister in Andhra Pradesh
- Swami Ramdas (born Vittal Rao), a saint from Kanhangad, Kerala
- Gitanjali Rao (scientist) – high achiever in science at STEM School Highlands Ranch, Colorado, USA
As a title
Pre-independence
- Sir Madhava Rao Thanjavurkar (1829–1891) - Diwan of Travancore from 1857 to 1872.
- Sir R. Raghunatha Rao (c. February 1831 – May 3, 1912) - Diwan of Indore from 1875–1888
- Sir R. Venkata Rao - Diwan of Travancore from 1821–1829.
- Thanjavur Subha Rao - Diwan of Travancore from 1830–1837.
- V. P. Madhava Rao - 17th Diwan of the Mysore kingdom
- T. Ananda Rao - 18th Diwan of the Mysore kingdom
- N. Madhava Rao - 23rd Diwan of the Mysore Kingdom
- K. Krishnaswamy Rao - Diwan of Travancore from 1898–1904
- T. Rama Rao (administrator) - Diwan of Travancore from 1887–1892
See also
References
 |
This page lists people with the surname Rao. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link. |