V. K. R. V. Rao
Encyclopedia
V. K. R. V. Rao (1908–1991) was a prominent India
n economist, politician, professor and educator. He was born on July 8, 1908 at Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu to Kasturirangachar and Bharati Bai.
. He served as a Union Minister for the Education in 1971, elected as member for Bellary
in 1967 and 1971. He was awarded a Ph.D. in 1937 from Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
. The title of his doctoral thesis was "The national income of British India, 1931-1932". He studied with John Maynard Keynes.
, Institute of Economic Growth and the Institute for Social and Economic Change. He was also instrumental in establishing the Indian Council of Social Science Research, Agro-economic Centres and Population Research Centres. He created an autonomous public body in the form of the Indian Council of Social Science Research. This was established under the Societies Registration Act (1860) on 30 July 1969 at Delhi. All the 3 institutions founded by him, even today maintain very close intra-institutional relationship. Another organization that owes its present prominence to Rao’s vision is the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi.
by the Government of India
in 1974.
Manmohan Singh
, India's Prime Minister has credited him with being responsible for the high quality of economics education and research in India, by being the founder-director of the Delhi School of Economics
, the Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi and the Institute for Social and Economic Change
, Bangalore. In the international sphere he was one of the central forces behind the institution of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the IDA. He is commemorated by the VKRV Rao prizes in Social Science Research.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n economist, politician, professor and educator. He was born on July 8, 1908 at Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu to Kasturirangachar and Bharati Bai.
Early Life
He had his early schooling in Tindivanam and Madras (Chennai). He was a recipient of the Padma VibhushanPadma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...
. He served as a Union Minister for the Education in 1971, elected as member for Bellary
Bellary (Lok Sabha constituency)
Bellary Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 28 Lok Sabha in Karnataka state in southern India. This constituency is reserved for the candidates belonging to the Scheduled tribes.-Assembly segments:...
in 1967 and 1971. He was awarded a Ph.D. in 1937 from Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
. The title of his doctoral thesis was "The national income of British India, 1931-1932". He studied with John Maynard Keynes.
Honours
Rao received many awards that include: Cobdon Club Medal in Political Economy (1927), Lord Minto Scholarship (1927-29), Dakshina Fellowship (1927-29), Madan Memorial Lecture in Indian Currency, Bombay (1931), Sir Mangaldas Nathubhai Traveling Fellowship, Bombay University (1932-35), Carton Studentship in Social Sciences, Great Britain (1934-36), Sir Thomas Greshan Research Studentship, Caius College, Cambridge (1934-36) Adam Smith Prize, Cambridge and Dadabhai Nauroji Memorial Prize (1934). Academic Honours include Honorary D.Litt. from Delhi, Jabalpore, Indore, Andhra and Nagpur Universities, Hon D.C.L. from Oxford University, Honorary Professorship of Osmania, Andhra Universities, Hon. Fellowship of Conville and Caius College, Cambridge.Institute Builder
Rao established three noted institutions in Social Science research in India: Delhi School of EconomicsDelhi School of Economics
Delhi School of Economics , commonly referred to as DSE or D School, is a centre of post graduate learning of the University of Delhi. The centre is situated in the university's North Campus in Maurice Nagar, and is surrounded by a host of other prestigious academic institutions of the country...
, Institute of Economic Growth and the Institute for Social and Economic Change. He was also instrumental in establishing the Indian Council of Social Science Research, Agro-economic Centres and Population Research Centres. He created an autonomous public body in the form of the Indian Council of Social Science Research. This was established under the Societies Registration Act (1860) on 30 July 1969 at Delhi. All the 3 institutions founded by him, even today maintain very close intra-institutional relationship. Another organization that owes its present prominence to Rao’s vision is the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Delhi.
Publications
Notable among his works are: Taxation of Income in India (1931), An essay on India’s National Income -1925-29 – (1936); The National Income of British India (1940); India and International Currency Plans (1945); Post-War Rupee (1948); Gandhian Alternative to Western Socialism (1970); Values and Economic Development – The Indian Challenge (1971); the Nehru Legacy (1971); Swami Vivekananda – Prophet of Vedantic Socialism (1978); Many Languages and One Nation – the Problem of Integration (1979); India’s National Income 1950-80 (1983) Food, Nutrition and Poverty (1982); Indian socialism: Retrospect and Prospect (1982), etc. He was awarded Padma BhushanPadma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
by the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
in 1974.
Positions Held
He served as Planning Adviser Food Department (1945-46), Food and Economic Adviser, Government of India at Washington (1946-47); Director, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi (1948-57); Vice Chancellor, University of Delhi (1957-60); Director, Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi (1960-63); Member, Planning Commission (1963-66); Union Cabinet Minister for Transport and Shipping (1967-69); Union Cabinet Minister for Education & Youth Services (1969-71); Director, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore (1972-77); National Professor, Government of India (1985-1990).Memberships/Associations
Notable among the learned bodies and conferences with which he was associated are: Corresponding Member, Institute de Science Economique, Paris; Correspondent, Royal Economic Society, London; Hon. Member, Japan Economic Research Centre, Tokyo; Member, Governing Body, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth; Member, Governing Body, International Economic Association; Member, Governing Body, International Institute for Educational Planning; President, Indian Agricultural Economic Conference; etc. etc. He was member of several Commissions and Committees, prominent among which being Member-Secretary, Bombay Economic Industrial Survey Committee; Chairman, U.N Sub-Commission for Economic Development (which led to the establishment of the soft loan window of the World Bank, the IDA; Member, Taxation Enquiry Commission, Member, National Income Committee; Member, Planning Advisory Board, Government of India; Chairman, U.N Sub-Committee on Experts on Levels of Living; etc.Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
, India's Prime Minister has credited him with being responsible for the high quality of economics education and research in India, by being the founder-director of the Delhi School of Economics
Delhi School of Economics
Delhi School of Economics , commonly referred to as DSE or D School, is a centre of post graduate learning of the University of Delhi. The centre is situated in the university's North Campus in Maurice Nagar, and is surrounded by a host of other prestigious academic institutions of the country...
, the Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi and the Institute for Social and Economic Change
Institute for Social and Economic Change
The Institute for Social and Economic Change is a social science research institute in Bangalore, India. Founded in 1972, it is the largest among the 27 institutions supported by Indian Council of Social Science Research ....
, Bangalore. In the international sphere he was one of the central forces behind the institution of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the IDA. He is commemorated by the VKRV Rao prizes in Social Science Research.
Further reading
- S. L. Rao (ed.) The Partial Memoirs of V.K.R.V. Rao Oxford University Press: USA, 2002 ISBN 0-19-565823-X reviewed in Tale of triumph — or disillusionment?, The Hindu, January 20, 2002 accessed at http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/br/2002/01/22/stories/2002012200140300.htm August 30, 2006
- Rao, Jayaram,Rao, Nadkarni and Deshpande (ed)"A Passionate Humanitarian", Academic Foundation, New Delhi 2008.