Patcha Ramachandra Rao
Encyclopedia
Dr. Patcha Ramachandra Rao (21 March 1942 – 10 January 2010) was a metallurgist
and administrator. He has the unique distinction of being the only Vice-Chancellor (2002–05) of the Banaras Hindu University
(BHU) who was also a student (1963–68) and faculty (1964–92) at that institution. From 1992 to 2002, Rao was the Director of the National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur. After his tenure as Vice Chancellor of B.H.U., in 2005, he took the reins of the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology
(DIAT) as its first Vice-Chancellor. He was to serve DIAT until his superannuation in 2007. From 2007 till the end, Rao was a Raja Ramanna Fellow at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials, in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
.
. His father Mr. Narayanaswamy Naidu, was a government servant and retired as Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies while his mother, Laxmi Bai was also educated and studied up to matriculation when very few women were going to school. From his mother's side, Rao is the nephew of Narla Venkateswara Rao
, a Telugu language
writer, journalist and politician from Andhra Pradesh, Narla Gowri Shankar Rao, an assistant accountant-general (retired) in the Central Government of India, and Narla Tata Rao
, a doyen of the power sector in India and a former chairman of the Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board.
For the early part of his life, Rao's parents home-schooled him and admitted him to the seventh grade directly. He completed formal school at the early age of 13. Thereafter, he went onto study intermediate at the newly established Andhra Loyola College
at Vijayawada
and moved over to Osmania University, Hyderabad for higher education. At the young age of 19 years, in 1961, Rao graduated with a Masters degree in Physics from the Osmania University
in Hyderabad India. Thereafter, in 1963, Rao graduated from the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, with a B.E. degree in Metallurgy. During his second year at I.I.Sc Bangalore, Rao was supported by the Dorabji Tata Trust. His long association with the Banaras Hindu University (B.H.U) began soon afterwards, when his mentor Dr. T.R. Anantharaman encouraged him to enroll in the doctoral program at the Department of Metallurgical Engineering at B.H.U. Rao's pioneering doctoral dissertation in Rapid Solidification laid the foundation for the research in this area in India. He obtained his M.Sc. in 1965 and Ph.D in 1968.
standpoint. Some of the expressions developed for the free energy of undercooled liquids are being used extensively by modellers. The techniques of rapid solidification which were once a matter of scientific curiosity have now been industrially exploited by the advanced countries in the form of novel metallic glass-based transformer core materials, fine grained high strength alloys, new hard magnetic materials etc. Many noteworthy contributions made by Rao, his students and erstwhile colleagues at the Banaras Hindu University have brought immense recognition to India as an important centre for rapid solidification studies.
In the past decade, Rao's interests shifted to the synthesis of materials by following routes which are very similar to those practiced by living organisms. This new area of investigation aptly called biomimetics
has the potential of avoiding environmental pollution and energy expenditure. Most methods operate at room temperature and ambient pressure. Prof. Ramachandra Rao and his students and colleagues have successfully synthesized calcium carmonate, calcium hydroxy apatite and some metallic nanocrystals through this route. The calcium hydroxy apatite has the potential for prosthetic applications. Animal studies involving rabbits have been conducted at the Banaras Hindu University. One of Rao's students has commercialized the apatite powders for dental applications.
Besides biomimetics he has also worked on ceramic materials and their production by self propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS). Other routes for nanomaterial synthesis were also explored. Studies were also conducted on natural composite materials like bamboo and synthetic composites and steels.
Since retirement Rao had been pursuing theoretical studies involving the specific heats of about eleven metals which undergo the hexagonal to body centred cubic phase transformation. He and his associates had discovered some systematics in the thermodynamic properties of these metals but a real solution to the problem has evaded them for over 25 years.
, Indian National Science Academy
, National Academy of Sciences
, and India and Indian National Academy of Engineering. He was also a fellow of The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World. He served in the council of Indian National Science Academy from 1996–98 and was serving vice-president when he died.
He was also a fellow of the Institution of Engineers (India). He played pivoted role in the societies associated with his profession. He had served as president of the Indian Institute of Metals and vice president of the Materials Research Society of India.
Rao was a Platinum Jubilee lecturer of Materials Science Section of Indian Science Congress at Goa
in 1993, Prof. Brahm Prakash Memorial Lecturer at Indian Institute of Science in 2000 and both Daya Swarup and N.P. Gandhi Memorial Lecturer of the Indian Institute of Metals in 1998 and 2004 respectively.
. She joined the Bank when it opened a branch in Varanasi at the beginning of 1980 and rose to become an officer.". They have two children, a daughter and a son. Dr. Suparna Dandamudi is a medical practitioner currently practicing in New Jersey
, USA. Dr. Animesh Patcha is a computer engineer who did his doctoral study at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and is currently located in the United States.
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
and administrator. He has the unique distinction of being the only Vice-Chancellor (2002–05) of the Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
(BHU) who was also a student (1963–68) and faculty (1964–92) at that institution. From 1992 to 2002, Rao was the Director of the National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur. After his tenure as Vice Chancellor of B.H.U., in 2005, he took the reins of the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology
Defence Institute of Advanced Technology
The Defence Institute of Advanced Technology is a Deemed University in Girinagar, Pune, India. It began as the Institute of Armament Studies in 1952, before moving to its current location in 1967...
(DIAT) as its first Vice-Chancellor. He was to serve DIAT until his superannuation in 2007. From 2007 till the end, Rao was a Raja Ramanna Fellow at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials, in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
.
Early years
Rao was born on 21 March 1942 to Late Mr. S.R. Narayanaswamy Naidu and Mrs. Laxmi Bai at Kavutavaram in the Krishna District of Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. His father Mr. Narayanaswamy Naidu, was a government servant and retired as Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies while his mother, Laxmi Bai was also educated and studied up to matriculation when very few women were going to school. From his mother's side, Rao is the nephew of Narla Venkateswara Rao
Narla Venkateswara Rao
Narla Venkateshwara Pramastenakshmi Preval Argurananda Veramesh Kashturambigrana Mitall Rao or V. R. Narla is a Telugu language writer, journalist and politician from Andhra Pradesh in India...
, a Telugu language
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
writer, journalist and politician from Andhra Pradesh, Narla Gowri Shankar Rao, an assistant accountant-general (retired) in the Central Government of India, and Narla Tata Rao
Narla Tata Rao
Narla Tata Rao was a doyen of the power sector in India and a former chairman of the Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board.- Early years :Narla Tata Rao was born on 4 September 1917 in Kowtharam in Krishna district...
, a doyen of the power sector in India and a former chairman of the Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board.
For the early part of his life, Rao's parents home-schooled him and admitted him to the seventh grade directly. He completed formal school at the early age of 13. Thereafter, he went onto study intermediate at the newly established Andhra Loyola College
Andhra Loyola College
Andhra Loyola College is a Jesuit educational institution founded in 1954. It is located in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India.-History:...
at Vijayawada
Vijayawada
Vijayawada is the third largest city in Andhra Pradesh, India, located on the banks of the Krishna River and bounded by the Indrakiladri Hills on the West and the Budameru River on the North. The city is located in the Krishna District, about from the state capital Hyderabad.Vijayawada literally...
and moved over to Osmania University, Hyderabad for higher education. At the young age of 19 years, in 1961, Rao graduated with a Masters degree in Physics from the Osmania University
Osmania University
Osmania University , , since 1918, is a public university located in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. It was established and named after the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan. It is one of the oldest modern universities in India. It is the first Indian University to have Urdu and...
in Hyderabad India. Thereafter, in 1963, Rao graduated from the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, with a B.E. degree in Metallurgy. During his second year at I.I.Sc Bangalore, Rao was supported by the Dorabji Tata Trust. His long association with the Banaras Hindu University (B.H.U) began soon afterwards, when his mentor Dr. T.R. Anantharaman encouraged him to enroll in the doctoral program at the Department of Metallurgical Engineering at B.H.U. Rao's pioneering doctoral dissertation in Rapid Solidification laid the foundation for the research in this area in India. He obtained his M.Sc. in 1965 and Ph.D in 1968.
Research Contributions
Rao pioneered research activities in the area of rapid solidification, an area pertaining to the solidification of liquids at the rate of a million degrees per second, in India in the mid 1960s. Such a process leads to the formation of extensive solid solutions, metastable intermediate phases and metallic glasses. He was the first outside the United States of America to conduct research in this technologically important area. Rao discovered novel intermetallic phases and also the hitherto unexpected phases with 5-fold rotational symmetry. His interests then shifted to identifying the theoretical basis of the formation of such phases and he began to model their formation from a thermodynamicThermodynamics
Thermodynamics is a physical science that studies the effects on material bodies, and on radiation in regions of space, of transfer of heat and of work done on or by the bodies or radiation...
standpoint. Some of the expressions developed for the free energy of undercooled liquids are being used extensively by modellers. The techniques of rapid solidification which were once a matter of scientific curiosity have now been industrially exploited by the advanced countries in the form of novel metallic glass-based transformer core materials, fine grained high strength alloys, new hard magnetic materials etc. Many noteworthy contributions made by Rao, his students and erstwhile colleagues at the Banaras Hindu University have brought immense recognition to India as an important centre for rapid solidification studies.
In the past decade, Rao's interests shifted to the synthesis of materials by following routes which are very similar to those practiced by living organisms. This new area of investigation aptly called biomimetics
Biomimetics
Biomimetics is the study of the structure and function of biological systems as models for the design and engineering of materials and machines. It is widely regarded as being synonymous with biomimicry, biomimesis, biognosis and similar to biologically inspired design.-History:The term biomimetics...
has the potential of avoiding environmental pollution and energy expenditure. Most methods operate at room temperature and ambient pressure. Prof. Ramachandra Rao and his students and colleagues have successfully synthesized calcium carmonate, calcium hydroxy apatite and some metallic nanocrystals through this route. The calcium hydroxy apatite has the potential for prosthetic applications. Animal studies involving rabbits have been conducted at the Banaras Hindu University. One of Rao's students has commercialized the apatite powders for dental applications.
Besides biomimetics he has also worked on ceramic materials and their production by self propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS). Other routes for nanomaterial synthesis were also explored. Studies were also conducted on natural composite materials like bamboo and synthetic composites and steels.
Since retirement Rao had been pursuing theoretical studies involving the specific heats of about eleven metals which undergo the hexagonal to body centred cubic phase transformation. He and his associates had discovered some systematics in the thermodynamic properties of these metals but a real solution to the problem has evaded them for over 25 years.
Association with national and international bodies
Rao was a fellow of all four science and engineering academies of the country: Indian Academy of SciencesIndian Academy of Sciences
The Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore was founded by Sir C. V. Raman, and was registered as a Society on 24 April 1934. Inaugurated on 31 July 1934, it began with 65 founding fellows. The first general meeting of Fellows, held on the same day, elected Professor Raman as President, and adopted...
, Indian National Science Academy
Indian National Science Academy
The Indian National Science Academy , New Delhi is the apex body of Indian scientists representing all branches of science & technology.-History:...
, National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Sciences, India
The National Academy of Sciences, India is the oldest Science Academy in India. It is located in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh...
, and India and Indian National Academy of Engineering. He was also a fellow of The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World. He served in the council of Indian National Science Academy from 1996–98 and was serving vice-president when he died.
He was also a fellow of the Institution of Engineers (India). He played pivoted role in the societies associated with his profession. He had served as president of the Indian Institute of Metals and vice president of the Materials Research Society of India.
Awards and Honors
Rao received numerous honours and awards. The prominent among them are Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize of CSIR in 1985, INSA Prize for Materials Science in 1997, National Metallurgist Award in 2004 and Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Gold Medal of INSA in 2005. He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award of Indian Institute of Science as well as that of the Department of Metallurgy, Banaras Hindu University. He was a recipient of Nayudamma Award of CSIR in 1999. The engineering profession has recognized his contribution with Vasvik Award in 1997, Distinguished Engineer Award of Institution of Engineers and Om Prakash Bhasin Award in 1998. For his contribution to the first Indian space experiment, he was awarded Inter Cosmos Medal of USSR in 1984.Rao was a Platinum Jubilee lecturer of Materials Science Section of Indian Science Congress at Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
in 1993, Prof. Brahm Prakash Memorial Lecturer at Indian Institute of Science in 2000 and both Daya Swarup and N.P. Gandhi Memorial Lecturer of the Indian Institute of Metals in 1998 and 2004 respectively.
Family
DrRao was married to Sudha Rao in 1966. In his own words, "she has been a great support to me and let me pursue my professional life without any worry of running the family. She was herself an employee of Andhra BankAndhra Bank
Andhra Bank was registered on 20 November 1923 and commenced business on 28 November 1923 with a paid up capital of Rs 1.00 lakh and an authorised capital of Rs 10.00 lakhs. The Bank crossed many milestones and the Bank's Total Business as on 30.06.2008 stood at Rs.83,256 Crores with a Clientele...
. She joined the Bank when it opened a branch in Varanasi at the beginning of 1980 and rose to become an officer.". They have two children, a daughter and a son. Dr. Suparna Dandamudi is a medical practitioner currently practicing in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, USA. Dr. Animesh Patcha is a computer engineer who did his doctoral study at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and is currently located in the United States.
Positions Held
- Professor, Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Coordinator School of Materials Science and Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
- Director, National Metallurgical Laboratory (CSIR), Jamshedpur
- Vice-Chancellor, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
- Vice-Chancellor, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune
- Emeritus Scientist and Raja Ramanna Fellow at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials, Hyderabad
Awards
- Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship, 1970-71.Universities Of Cambridge &Sussex
- National Metallurgist’s Day Award, Min. of Steel & Mines, Govt of India, 1979 ;
- Intercosmos Medal, USSR 1984;
- Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, CSIR 1985
- Distinguished Alumnus Award, Metallurgy Department, BHU 1994;
- Distinguished Materials Scientist Award, IE(India) (1995)
- Indian National Science Academy Prize for Materials Science 1997 ;
- VASVIK Award 1997
- Om Prakash Bhasin Award 1998
- Distinguished Engineer Award, IE(India) (1998)
- Nayudamma Award (1999)
- Distinguished Lecturership Award, Materials Research Society of India, 1999-2001 ;
- Distinguished Alumnus Award, Indian Institute of Science 2001
- Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), 1999–2000;
- Nijhawan Award for Best Technical Paper Published from NML in the year 2001
- MRSI-ICSC Superconductivity & Materials Science Prize, MRSI, 2002 ;
- Best Paper Award LERIG-2002
- Prof. P. Banerjee Award for best technical paper (Ferrous) published in Indian Foundry Journal (2001–2002)
- Loyola Ratna – Awarded by Andhra Loyola College, Vijayawada 2003;
- National Metallurgist Award, Min. of Steel & Mines, Govt of India, 2004 ;
- MRSI-ICSC Superconductivity & Materials Science Sr. Award, MRSI, 2005 ;
- Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Gold Medal, INSA, 2005 ;
- Dr. Ramineni Foundation (USA) Vishishta Puraskar, 2007
Honors
- Platinum Jubilee Lecturer (1993), Materials Science Section, Indian Science Congress, Goa
- Dr.S.Roy Memorial Lecturer (1993), Jadavpur University, Calcutta
- Golden Jubilee Commemoration Lecturer (1996), Dept of Metallurgy, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
- 22nd Bhaikaka Memorial Lecturer (1996), The Institution of Engineers (India), Bangalore
- Prof.Brahm Prakash Memorial Lecturer (2000), Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore
- Prof.A.K.Seal Memorial Lecturer (1997), Indian Institute of Metals, Calcutta
- Prof.Daya Swarup Memorial Lecturer (1998), Indian Institute of Metals, Bangalore
- Professor N.P. Gandhi Memorial Lecturer (2004) of The Indian Institute of Metals.
Fellow
- Indian National Science Academy
- The National Academy of Sciences
- Indian Academy of Sciences
- Indian National Academy of Engineering
- The Institution of Engineers (India)
- The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (London) UK
- Third World Academy of Sciences, Italy
- Indian Institute of Metals
- Maharashtra Acadeny of Science
Member
- Materials Research Society of India
- Indian Science Congress Association
- Materials Research Society, USA
Honorary positions held
- President, The Asia-Pacific Academy of Materials (APAM), India Chapter
- President, Indian Institute of Metals
- Vice President, Materials Research Society of India
- Vice-President, Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi.
- Sectional President, Materials Science Section, Indian Science Congress
Patents
- A process for the production of nano-sized neodymium-iron –boron permanent magnet alloy powder (No.374/Del/94, dated 31.3.94) Patent filed in the U.S.A. also.
- An improved process for recovery of gold from aqueous pregnant solution using the protein of Strychnos potatorium (No.894/Del/95, dated 17.5.95)
- An improved process for production of aluminium dry cell (No.1809/Del/96, dated 14.8.96)
- An improved process to produce ceramic tiles using industrial waste such as iron ore tailings (No.1800/Del/96, dated 14.8.96)
- An improved cooling grate for use in oil/gas melting furnaces (No.1653/Del/97, dated 20.6.97)
- An improved composition for the preparation of refractory materials useful in oil/gas based melting furnaces and a process for the preparation of said refractory materials (No.1654/Del/97, dated 20.6.97)
- An improved furnace for melting metals (No.1652/Del/97, dated 20.6.97)
- An improved process for the preparation of zirconium boride (No.2129/Del/97, dated 31.7.97) Patent filed in the U.S.A. also.
- An improved process for the preparation of ceramic matrix composition (No.2267/Del/97, dated 13.8.97)
- An eco-friendly process for the enrichment of nickel, cobalt and iron content in lateritic nickel ore (No.3510/Del/97, dated 8.12.97)
- An improved process for the extraction of nickel, cobalt and iron from lateritic nickel ores (No.3511/Del/97, dated 8.12.97)
- An improved process for the production of high purity nano-crystalline alumina powders (No.1116/Del/98, dated 27.4.98)
- An improved process for the production of neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnet alloy powder (No.287/Del/99, dated 19.2.99)
- An improved process for super concentration of iron ore fines useful for making ferrites (No.334/Del/99, dated 25.2.99)
- A process for the recovery of gallium from Bayer process liquors (United States Patent 7338589)
- A process for preparation of Fe-based ultrasoft Ferromagnetic alloys. (Indian Patent 267/DEL/2002) Patent filed in the U.S.A. also.
Sources
- Biography of the First Vice-Chancellor of DIAT Pune
- Chronicle Interview for Prof. P Ramachandra Rao
- List of Winners of S.S. Bhatnagar Award
- List of Winners of the VASVIK Award for excellence in Material Science and Technology
- History of Banaras Hindu University
- From the Vice Chancellors Desk
- Alumni Association Obituary Page
- Profile of Dr. Patcha Ramachandra Rao
- Obituary Notice