C. N. R. Rao

C.N.R. Rao was born in a Kannada Deshastha Brahmin family in Bangalore to Hanumantha Nagesa Rao and Nagamma Nagesa Rao.{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Second-Bharat-Ratna-for-Chikkaballapur/articleshow/25911102.cms|title=Second Bharat Ratna for Chikkaballapur|publisher=Times of India|access-date=17 November 2013}}{{cite news|title=Chemistry By Othello|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/chemistry-by-othello/288699|publisher=Outlook India|access-date=9 December 2013}}{{cite web| url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/kannada/news-interviews/Bangalorean-CNR-Rao-to-get-Bharat-Ratna/articleshow/25896306.cms | title=Bangalorean CNR Rao to get Bharat Ratna | work=The Times of India | date=16 November 2013 | access-date=16 November 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/369562/scientist-wonders-why-nobody-asks.html | title=Scientist wonders why nobody asks him about Dan David prize| work=Deccan Herald | date=18 November 2013 | access-date=18 November 2013}} His father was an Inspector of Schools.{{Cite journal|last1=Ganguli|first1=A.K.|last2=Ramakrishnan|first2=T.V.|date=2016|title=Living Legends in Indian Science: C.N.R. Rao|url=https://www.currentscience.ac.in/Volumes/111/05/0926.pdf|journal=Current Science|volume=111|issue=5|pages=926–931}} He was an only child, and his learned parents made an academic environment. He was well versed in Hindu literature from his mother and in English from his father at an early age. He did not attend elementary school but was home-tutored by his mother, who was particularly skilled in arithmetic and Hindu literature. He entered middle school in 1940, at age six. Although he was the youngest in his class, he used to tutor his classmates in mathematics and English. He passed the lower secondary examination (class VII) in the first class in 1944. He was ten years old, and his father rewarded him with four annas (twenty-five paisa). He attended Acharya Patashala high school in Basavanagudi, which made a lasting influence on his interest in chemistry. His father enrolled him to a Kannada-medium course to encourage his mother tongue, but at home used English for all conversation. He completed secondary school leaving certificate in first class in 1947. He studied BSc at Central College, Bangalore where he developed communication skills in English and also learned Sanskrit.

He obtained his bachelor's degree from Mysore University in 1951, in first class, at the age of seventeen. He initially thought of joining Indian Institute of Science (IISc) for a diploma or a postgraduate degree in chemical engineering, but a teacher persuaded him to attend Banaras Hindu University. He obtained a master's in chemistry from BHU two years later.

In 1953, he was granted a scholarship for PhD in Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. But four foreign universities, MIT, Penn State, Columbia and Purdue also offered him financial support. He chose Purdue. His first research paper was published in the Agra University Journal of Research in 1954. He completed PhD in 1958, only after two years and nine months.

After completion of his graduate studies, Rao returned to Bangalore in 1959 to take up a lecturing position, joining IISc and embarking on an independent research program. The facility at the time was so meagre that he described it, saying, "You would get string and sealing wax and that's about it." In 1963 he accepted a permanent position in the Department of Chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. He was elected Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences in 1964. He returned to IISc in 1976 to establish a solid state and structural chemistry unit. and became director of the IISc from 1984 to 1994. At various points in his career Rao has taken appointments as a visiting professor at Purdue University, the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge and University of California, Santa Barbara. He was the Jawaharlal Nehru Professor at the University of Cambridge and Professorial Fellow at the King's College, Cambridge during 1983–1984.{{cite web|author=INSA|title=Indian Fellow|url=http://insaindia.org.in/detail.php?id=N74-0635|work=Indian National Science Academy|access-date=3 June 2013|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813001310/http://insaindia.org.in/detail.php?id=N74-0635|archive-date=13 August 2016|df=dmy-all}}

Rao has been working as the National Research Professor holding the positions Linus Pauling Research Professor and Honorary President of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, which he founded in 1989.{{cite web|title=Professor C N R Rao to be awarded with Bharat Ratna|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2013/11/professor-c-n-r-rao-to-be-awarded-with-bharat-ratna/|work=Biharprabha News|access-date=17 November 2013}} He had served as chair of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Indian Prime Minister for two terms, from 1985 to 1989 and from 2005 to 2014. He is also the director of the International Centre for Materials Science (ICMS), which he founded in 2010, and serves on the board of the Science Initiative Group.{{cite web|last1=Madur|title=The Key Figure in Structural Chemistry – CNR Rao|url=http://www.karnataka.com/personalities/cnr-rao/|website=karnataka.com|access-date=30 July 2014|date=4 February 2014}}

Rao is one of the world's foremost solid state and materials chemists. He has contributed to the development of the field over five decades.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.rsc.org/jm/2012/07/20/author-profile-c-n-r-rao/|title=Author Profile: C. N. R. Rao|author=Johnson R|date=20 July 2012|work=Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog|access-date=3 June 2013}} His work on transition metal oxides has led to basic understanding of novel phenomena and the relationship between materials properties and the structural chemistry of these materials.{{Cite journal|last=Rao|first=C N R|date=1989|title=Transition Metal Oxides|journal=Annual Review of Physical Chemistry|language=en|volume=40|issue=1|pages=291–326|doi=10.1146/annurev.pc.40.100189.001451|bibcode=1989ARPC...40..291R}}

Rao was one of the earliest to synthesise two-dimensional oxide materials such as La₂CuO₄. He was one of the first to synthesise 123 cuprates, the first liquid nitrogen-temperature superconductor in 1987. He was also the first to synthesis Y junction carbon nanotubes in the mid-1990s. His work has led to a systematic study of compositionally controlled metal-insulator transitions. Such studies have had a profound impact in application fields such as colossal magneto resistance and high temperature superconductivity. Oxide semiconductors have unusual promise. He has made immense contributions to nanomaterials over the last two decades, besides his work on hybrid materials.{{Cite journal|last1=Rao|first1=C. N. R.|last2=Cheetham|first2=A. K.|date=2001-11-23|title=Science and technology of nanomaterials: current status and future prospects|journal=Journal of Materials Chemistry|volume=11|issue=12|pages=2887–2894|doi=10.1039/b105058n}}{{Cite journal|last1=Rao|first1=C N R|last2=Cheetham|first2=A K|last3=Thirumurugan|first3=A|date=2008-02-27|title=Hybrid inorganic-organic materials: a new family in condensed matter physics|journal=Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter|volume=20|issue=8|page=083202|doi=10.1088/0953-8984/20/8/083202|s2cid=227150809 }}

He shares co-authorship of more than 1800 research papers and has co-authored or edited more than 58 books.{{cite web|author=ABC|title=CNR Rao is the winner of the 2011 Ernesto Illy Trieste Science Prize|date=24 November 2011|url=http://www.abc.org.br/article.php3?id_article=1707|work=abc.org.br|publisher=The Brazilian Academy of Sciences|access-date=3 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222061431/http://www.abc.org.br/article.php3?id_article=1707|archive-date=22 February 2014|url-status=dead}}

• Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences (FASc, 1965)
• Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (FNA, 1974){{cite web | url=https://www.insaindia.res.in/detail.php?id=N74-0635 | title=Indian Fellow: Professor Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao | publisher=Indian National Science Academy| access-date=12 February 2022}}
• Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS, 1982)
• Founding Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (FTWAS, 1983){{cite web | url=https://twas.org/directory/rao-chintamani-nagesa-ramachandra | title=Founding Fellow: Rao, Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra | publisher=The World Academy of Sciences| access-date=12 February 2022}}
• Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (Hon. FRSC, 1989){{cite web | url=https://www.rsc.org/about-us/our-history/our-honorary-fellows/ | title=Royal Society of Chemistry: Our Honorary Fellows | publisher=Royal Society of Chemistry| access-date=12 February 2022}}
• Foreign Member of the Academia Europaea (MAE, 1997){{cite web | url=https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Rao_C.N.R. | title=Member: C. N. R. Rao | publisher=Academia Europaea| access-date=13 February 2022}}
• Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Physics (Hon.FInstP, 2007){{cite web | url=https://www.iop.org/about/awards/honorary-fellowship/our-honorary-fellows/professor-c-n-r-rao | title=Honorary Fellows: Professor C N R Rao | publisher=Institute of Physics| access-date=12 February 2022}}
• Member of many of the world's scientific associations, including the National Academy of Sciences, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Royal Society of Canada, French Academy, Japanese Academy, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts and Polish Academy of Sciences, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Serbian Academy of Sciences, Slovenian Academy of Sciences, Brazilian Academy of Sciences, Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences of Korea, African Academy of Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society.{{cite web|title=APS Member History|url=https://search.amphilsoc.org/memhist/search?creator=C.+N.+R.+Rao&title=&subject=&subdiv=&mem=&year=&year-max=&dead=&keyword=&smode=advanced|access-date=2021-12-16|website=search.amphilsoc.org}} He is also a member of the Pontifical Academy.

International:

Professor C.N.R. Rao has received numerous honorary degrees from universities worldwide in recognition of his contributions to science. In Africa, he was awarded a D.Sc. Honoris Causa by Stellenbosch University, South Africa, in 2007. Australia honored him with a D.Sc. Honoris Causa from the Australian National University in Canberra in 2015. In the United Kingdom, he received honorary degrees from the University of Wales (Cardiff), Liverpool, Oxford (2007), and St. Andrews University (2013).

In France, he was awarded Honoris Causa doctorates by the University of Bordeaux in 1983, the University of Caen in 2000, and Université Joseph Fourier in Grenoble in 2011. Other recognitions include a D.Sc. Honoris Causa from Wroclaw University in Poland (1989) and from Novosibirsk University and the Russian Academy of Sciences (Siberian Branch) in Russia (1999). Additionally, Sweden awarded him an Honoris Causa Doctorate from Uppsala University in 2000, and Sudan awarded a D.Sc. Honoris Causa from the University of Khartoum in 2002.

In the United States, he has received honorary doctorates from several universities, including Colorado, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Purdue, Temple, and others.

National

In India, Professor Rao's contributions have been acknowledged by a wide range of institutions. He has received honorary doctorates from major universities, including Aligarh University, Banaras Hindu University, Bangalore University, Calcutta University, Delhi University, Hyderabad University, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kanpur University, Mangalore University, Panjab University, and Roorkee University. Additionally, he has been honored by Visvesvaraya Technological University, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) at Bombay, Kharagpur, Kanpur, New Delhi, and Guwahati, and the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) in Bhopal, Kolkata, Mohali, and Pune. Notable recognitions also include an LL.D. (Honoris Causa) from Sri Venkateswara University, a D.Litt. from Guwahati University, the “Desikottama” award from Visva-Bharati University{{cite news|title=Satyarthi's '3D' model: Dream, discover, do|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/Satyarthis-3D-model-Dream-discover-do/articleshow/46318805.cms|website=Times of India|date=21 February 2015 |access-date=3 October 2015}} and The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati 2022.{{cite news | url=https://www.eastmojo.com/assam/2022/03/30/assam-royal-global-university-confers-1723-degrees-in-1st-convocation/ | title=Assam Royal Global University confers 1723 degrees in 1st convocation | newspaper=Eastmojo | date=30 March 2022 | last1=Eastmojo | first1=Team }}

• 1967: Marlow Medal by the Faraday Society of England{{cite web|url=http://www.xn--ppstlicheakademiederwissenschaften-b4c.va/content/accademia/en/academicians/ordinary/rao.html|title=Chintamani N.R. Rao|website=The Pontifical Academy of Sciences|access-date=2020-03-03}}
• 1968: Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology in Chemical Science
• 2000: Centenary Medal of the Royal Society of Chemistry, London
• 2000: Hughes Medal by the Royal Society
• 2004: India Science Award{{cite journal|author= Ramasami T|title= India Science Award and Dan David Prize for C. N. R. Rao|url= http://www.iisc.ernet.in/currsci/mar102005/687.pdf|journal= Current Science|volume= 88|issue= 5|page= 687|year= 2005|access-date= 3 June 2013|archive-date= 3 December 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131203005643/http://www.iisc.ernet.in/currsci/mar102005/687.pdf|url-status= dead}}
• 2005: Dan David Prize from Tel Aviv University{{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20110606102413/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2005/03/04/stories/2005030419220500.htm The Hindu: Karnataka News: Dan David prize for C.N.R. Rao]}}. Hinduonnet.com (4 March 2005). Retrieved 13 March 2012. shared with George Whitesides and Robert Langer.{{cite web |url=http://www.dandavidprize.com/index.html |title=Dan David Prize |access-date=6 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511221915/http://www.dandavidprize.com/index.html |archive-date=11 May 2008 |url-status=dead }}
• 2008: Abdus Salam Medal by The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS){{cite web|title=Abdus Salam Medal|url=http://twas-old.ictp.it/prog/prizes/abdus-salam-medal|publisher=The World Academy of Sciences|access-date=30 July 2014}}
• 2009: Royal Medal by the Royal Society
• 2010: August-Wilhelm-von-Hofmann Medal by the German Chemical Society{{cite journal|doi= 10.1038/nindia.2009.365|title= Need young scientists to lead: C N R Rao|year= 2010|last1= Jayaraman|first1= K. S.|journal= Nature India}}
• 2017: The Von Hippel Award by the Materials Research Society{{cite web |url=https://www.jncasr.ac.in/faculty/cnrrao/awards |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624205432/https://www.jncasr.ac.in/faculty/cnrrao/awards |archive-date=24 June 2021 |title=Awards {{!}} Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research}}
• 2021: International ENI award 2020 for research in renewable energy sources and energy storage, also called the Energy Frontier award{{cite web|url=https://dst.gov.in/bharat-ratna-professor-rao-receives-eni-international-award-research-energy-frontiers |title=Bharat Ratna Professor Rao receives the Eni International Award for Research in Energy Frontiers | Department Of Science & Technology |publisher=Dst.gov.in |date=2021-05-27 |accessdate=2022-08-11}}

• 1961: DSc from Mysore University.
• 1973: Yedanapalli Medal and Prize{{cite web|title=RAO, Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra|url=http://www.ias.ac.in/academy/rao_pop.html|publisher=Indian Academy of Sciences|access-date=30 July 2014}}
• 1975: C. V. Raman Award in Physical Science by the University Grants Commission of India
• 1980: S. N. Bose Medal by the Indian National Science Academy{{cite web|title=Professor C.N.R. Rao FRS Biography|url=http://www.bas.org.bd/fellowship/list-of-fellows-/userprofile/cnrao.html|publisher=Bangladesh Academy of Sciences|access-date=30 July 2014|archive-date=8 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808045338/http://www.bas.org.bd/fellowship/list-of-fellows-/userprofile/cnrao.html|url-status=dead}}
• 1981: Royal Society of Chemistry (London) Medal{{cite book | url=http://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-solid-state-chemistry/editorial-board/cnr-rao/ | title=C.N.R. Rao – Elsevier | publisher=Elsevier | date=2015 | access-date=December 5, 2015}}
• 1981: Founding member of the World Cultural Council{{cite web | title = About Us | publisher = World Cultural Council | url = http://www.consejoculturalmundial.org/about-us/ | access-date = November 8, 2016}}
• 1989: Hevrovsky Gold Medal of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences
• 1990: Meghnath Saha Medal of the Indian National Science Academy
• 1996: Einstein Gold Medal of UNESCO
• 2004: Doctor of Science from University of Calcutta.[http://www.caluniv.ac.in/About%20the%20university/university_frame.htm Honoris Causa] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110808224127/http://www.caluniv.ac.in/About%20the%20university/university_frame.htm |date=8 August 2011 }}. Caluniv.ac.in. Retrieved 13 March 2012
• 2004: Somiya Award of the International Union of Materials Research.{{cite news |title=Somiya Award for C.N.R. Rao |url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/11/stories/2004031105700500.htm |access-date=29 April 2024 |work=The Hindu |date=11 March 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050221035732/http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/11/stories/2004031105700500.htm |archive-date=21 February 2005}}
• 2008: Nikkei Asia Prize for Science, Technology and Innovation, by Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Inc., Japan.{{cite web|title= CNR Rao Awarded Nikkei Asia Prize|url= http://convergence.ucsb.edu/news/cnr-rao-awarded-nikkei-asia-prize|date= 25 February 2008|work= Convergence|access-date= 23 November 2013|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131203001336/http://convergence.ucsb.edu/news/cnr-rao-awarded-nikkei-asia-prize|archive-date= 3 December 2013|df= dmy-all}}
• 2008: Khwarizmi International Award 2008 for Innovation along with Ajayan Vinu{{cite web|url=http://213.176.123.54/kia/content/khwarizmi-international-award-21st-session-2008|title=Khwarizmi International Award 21st Session −2008 – Khwarizmi International Award (KIA)|work=123.54|access-date=2016-09-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913141230/http://213.176.123.54/kia/content/khwarizmi-international-award-21st-session-2008|archive-date=13 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}
• 2011: Ernesto Illy Trieste Science Prize for materials research
• 2013: 2012 Award for International Scientific Cooperation from the Chinese Academy of Sciences[http://newsonair.nic.in/news.asp?cat=National&id=NN8997&bigger=bigger China's top science award for Dr.C.N. R. Rao] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127005822/http://newsonair.nic.in/news.asp?cat=National&id=NN8997&bigger=bigger |date=27 January 2013 }}. Retrieved 24 January 2013
• 2013: Elected honorary foreign member of Chinese Academy of Sciences{{cite web|title=CNR Rao is 1st Indian elected for Chinese Academy of Science |date= 22 November 2013| url= http://www.deccanherald.com/content/370393/cnr-rao-1st-indian-elected.html |work= Deccan Herald |access-date=22 November 2013}}
• 2013: Distinguished Academician Award from IIT Patna{{cite web | url=http://www.iitp.ac.in | title=Welcome to IITP}}
• 2016: Asian Scientist 100, Asian Scientist
• 2018: Platinum Medal from Indian Association of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology{{cite web|url=http://www.iannindia.org|title=Indian Association of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IANN)|website=www.iannindia.org|access-date=2018-08-11}}{{cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/site/indiannano/events/news/iannplatinummedalfirstawardeeprofcnrrao|title=IANN Platinum Medal: First Awardee Prof C N R Rao – Indian Association of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IANN)|website=sites.google.com|access-date=2018-08-11|archive-date=24 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211124164201/https://sites.google.com/site/indiannano/events/news/iannplatinummedalfirstawardeeprofcnrrao|url-status=dead}}
• 2019: The first Sheikh Saud International Prize for Materials Research from the Center for Advanced Materials of the United Arab Emirates{{cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/first-uae-research-prize-for-scientist-cnr-rao/1461088|title=First UAE research prize for scientist CNR Rao|date=18 January 2019|website=Outlook|access-date=2020-03-03}}
• Foreign fellow of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences

• 1974 – 50px Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award.
• Padma Vibhushan in 1985
• Karnataka Ratna by the Karnataka State Government in 2000{{cite web|url=https://karnataka.gov.in/page/Awards/State%20Awards/Karnataka+Ratna/en|title=Karnataka Government|website=karnataka.gov.in|access-date=2020-03-03}}{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/CNR-Rao-thrilled-over-award/articleshow/35853372.cms|title=CNR Rao thrilled over award – Times of India|date=28 March 2001|website=The Times of India|access-date=2020-03-03}}
• Bharat Ratna in 2014

• {{flag|Brazil}}: Great Cross of the National Order of Scientific Merit (2002)
• {{flag|France}}: Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur (2005)
• {{flag|Japan}}: Gold and Silver Star of the Order of the Rising Sun (2015)
• {{flag|Russia}}: Order of Friendship (2009){{cite web| author= R. A. Mashelkar | title= Tribute to a master alchemist |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/tribute-to-a-master-alchemist/article5361159.ece |date=17 November 2013 |work= Business Line |access-date=23 November 2013}}

• Rao with his wife established the CNR Rao Education Foundation using the Dan David Prize money.{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/supplement/story/20100614-how-i-made-it-cnr-rao-scientist-743086-2010-06-03|title=How I made it: CNR Rao, Scientist|last=David|first=Stephen|date=3 June 2010|website=India Today|language=en|access-date=2020-03-03}} The foundation is based in Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research and offers Best Science Teacher Award to pre-university and high school science teachers.{{cite web|url=http://www.jncasr.ac.in/annview.php?id=227|title=Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research|website=www.jncasr.ac.in|access-date=2020-03-03}}
• Rao established the International Centre for Materials Science (ICMS) which offers the C N R Rao Prize Lecture in Advanced Materials since 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.mrsi.org.in/awardshonours.php|title=Materials Research Society of India|website=www.mrsi.org.in|access-date=2020-03-03}}
• The World Academy of Sciences instituted the TWAS-C.N.R. Rao Award for Scientific Research since 2006 for scientists in the least developed countries.{{cite web|url=https://twas.org/opportunity/twas-cnr-rao-award-scientific-research|title=TWAS-C.N.R. Rao Award for Scientific Research|website=TWAS|language=en|access-date=2020-03-03}}
• The Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy has created the SASTRA-CNR Rao Award for Chemistry and Material Science in 2014.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sastracnr-rao-award-to-be-presented-on-february-28/article5536541.ece|title=SASTRA-CNR Rao Award to be presented on February 28|date=2014-01-04|work=The Hindu|access-date=2020-03-03|language=en-IN}}

Rao is married to Indumati Rao in 1960. They have two children, Sanjay and Suchitra. Sanjay works as a science populariser in schools around Bangalore.{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/know-bharat-ratna-c-n-r-rao-scientist-par-excellence-30466.html|title=Know Bharat Ratna C.N.R Rao, scientist par excellence|last=Anon.|date=2013-11-16|website=www.indiatvnews.com|language=en|access-date=2020-03-03}} Suchitra is married to Krishna N. Ganesh, the director of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) at Pune, Maharashtra.{{cite news|title=C.N.R Rao, scientist par excellence (Profile)|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/c-n-r-rao-scientist-par-excellence-profile-113111601169_1.html|work=Business Standard News|access-date=18 November 2013|date=16 November 2013}} Rao is technophobic and he never checks his email by himself. He also said that he uses the mobile phone only to talk to his wife.{{cite web| author =Pallava Bagla | title= Bharat Ratna awardee CNR Rao: the scientist who finds computers 'distracting' |url= http://www.ndtv.com/article/people/bharat-ratna-awardee-cnr-rao-the-scientist-who-finds-computers-distracting-446963|date= 16 November 2013|publisher= NDTV |access-date=23 November 2013}}

In 1987, Rao and his team published a series of four papers, of which three were in the Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Sciences (Chemical Science), Pramana, and Current Science, all published by the Indian Academy of Sciences.{{cite web|url=http://www.scientificvalues.org/newsnovember2002.html|title=Society For Scientific Values – Newsletters Online|website=www.scientificvalues.org|access-date=2020-03-03}} A report was submitted to the Society for Scientific Values that the three papers had no mention of the dates of receipt, which were normally explicitly mentioned in those journals.{{cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/a-man-of-science-but-with-no-art-of-storytelling/298196|title=A Man Of Science, But With No Art Of Storytelling|last=Mahajan|first=Shobhit|date=12 December 2016|website=Outlook|access-date=2020-03-03}} Upon inquiry, it was found that the paper manuscripts were actually received after the date of publication, indicating that they were backdated. The society declared the case as "Use of Wrong Means to Claim Priority."

Rao has been subject of allegations on plagiarism.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/PMs-science-adviser-apologises-for-plagiarism-in-science-journal/articleshow/11965854.cms|title=PM's science adviser apologises for plagiarism in science journal – Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-10-04}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report-plagiarism-cloud-over-cnr-rao-1652915|title=Plagiarism cloud over CNR Rao|date=2012-02-21|work=dna|access-date=2018-10-04|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/228708/cnr-rao-3-others-plagiarism.html|title=CNR Rao, 3 others in plagiarism row|date=2012-02-20|work=Deccan Herald|access-date=2018-10-04|language=en}} Rao and Saluru Baba Krupanidhi at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, with their students Basant Chitara and L. S. Panchakarla, published a paper "Infrared photodetectors based on reduced graphene oxide and graphene nanoribbons" in the journal Advanced Materials in 2011.{{cite journal|author1=Basant Chitara|author2=L. S. Panchakarla|author3=S. B. Krupanidhi|author4=C. N. R. Rao|year=2011|title=Infrared Photodetectors Based on Reduced Graphene Oxide and Graphene Nanoribbons|journal=Advanced Materials|volume=23|issue=45|pages=5419–5424|doi=10.1002/adma.201101414|pmid=21786342|bibcode=2011AdM....23.5419C |s2cid=37028643|doi-access=free}}{{Cite book|last1=Pallela|first1=Kamalakar|last2=Talari|first2=Sneha|title=2016 IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS) |chapter=Plagiarism: A serious ethical issue for Indian students |date=2016|publisher=IEEE|pages=1–6|doi=10.1109/ISTAS.2016.7764048|isbn=978-1-5090-2498-8|s2cid=34978602}} After publication the journal editors found sentences copied verbatim in the introduction and methodology from a paper published in Applied Physics Letters in 2010.{{Cite journal|last1=Ghosh|first1=Surajit|last2=Sarker|first2=Biddut K.|last3=Chunder|first3=Anindarupa|last4=Zhai|first4=Lei|last5=Khondaker|first5=Saiful I.|date=2010-04-19|title=Position dependent photodetector from large area reduced graphene oxide thin films|journal=Applied Physics Letters|language=en|volume=96|issue=16|page=163109|doi=10.1063/1.3415499|arxiv=1002.3191|bibcode=2010ApPhL..96p3109G|s2cid=119238834}} According to Nature report, it was Basant Chitara, a PhD student at IISc, who wrote the text.{{Cite journal|last=Jayaraman|first=K. S.|date=2012-02-24|title=Indian science adviser caught up in plagiarism row|url=http://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2012.10102|journal=Nature|language=en|pages=nature.2012.10102|doi=10.1038/nature.2012.10102|s2cid=178887072|url-access=subscription}} An apology was issued by the authors later in the same journal.{{Cite journal|last1=Chitara|first1=Basant|last2=Panchakarla|first2=L. S.|last3=Krupanidhi|first3=S. B.|last4=Rao|first4=C. N. R.|date=2011-12-01|title=Apology: Infrared Photodetectors Based on Reduced Graphene Oxide and Graphene Nanoribbons|journal=Advanced Materials|language=en|volume=23|issue=45|page=5339|doi=10.1002/adma.201190182|bibcode=2011AdM....23.5339C |doi-access=free}} Rao said that he did read the manuscript and that it was an oversight on his part as he focused mainly on the results and discussion.

Scientists such as Rahul Siddharthan (Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai), Y.B. Srinivas (Institute of Wood Science and Technology), and D.P. Sengupta (former professor at IISC), agreed that the plagiarised portion has no bearing on the findings,{{cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report-plagiarism-row-scientists-swear-by-honesty-1653396|title=Plagiarism row: Scientists swear by honesty|last=Subramanian|first=Aishhwariya|date=2012-02-22|website=DNA India|language=en|access-date=2020-03-03}} yet Siddharthan opined that the reactions made by Rao and Krupanidhi were overboard. Rao and Krupanidhi publicly blamed Chitara, and denied the publication as not plagiarism.{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/article2974543.ece|title=No Science in cut and paste|newspaper=The Hindu|date= 9 March 2012|last1=Siddharthan|first1=Rahul}} Rao had commented, "This should not be really considered as plagiarism, but an instance of copying of a few sentences in the text." He even extended the blame to Krupanidhi asserting that he had no role in it as it was written by Krupanidhi without his knowledge.{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/229512/no-plagiarism-student-copied-few.html|title=No plagiarism, student copied a few sentences: C N R Rao|date=2012-02-23|website=Deccan Herald|language=en|access-date=2020-03-03}} His claims were not justified by the fact that he was the senior scientist and corresponding author in that publication.

More allegations of instances of plagiarism in articles co-authored Rao have been reported.{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/article2983433.ece|title=More cases of plagiarism come to light|newspaper=The Hindu|date=11 March 2012 |last1=Prasad|first1=R.}} Written with S. Venkataprasad Bhat and Krupanidhi, Rao's paper in 2010 about the effect of nanoparticles on solar cells in Applied Physics Express{{Cite journal|last1=Bhat|first1=S. Venkataprasad|last2=Krupanidhi|first2=S. B.|last3=Rao|first3=C. N. R.|date=2010-10-22|title=A Comparative Study of the Effect of Metallic Au and ReO 3 Nanoparticles on the Performance of Silicon Solar Cells|journal=Applied Physics Express|language=en|volume=3|issue=11|page=115001|doi=10.1143/APEX.3.115001|bibcode=2010APExp...3k5001B|s2cid=94903417 |url=http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/34471/1/APEX-3-115001.pdf}} contains texts that are very similar to those of a paper by Matheu et al. from Applied Physics Letters in 2008,{{Cite journal|last1=Matheu|first1=P.|last2=Lim|first2=S. H.|last3=Derkacs|first3=D.|last4=McPheeters|first4=C.|last5=Yu|first5=E. T.|date=2008-09-15|title=Metal and dielectric nanoparticle scattering for improved optical absorption in photovoltaic devices|journal=Applied Physics Letters|language=en|volume=93|issue=11|page=113108|doi=10.1063/1.2957980|bibcode=2008ApPhL..93k3108M}} which it did not even cite. Rao had stated, referring to the 2011 incident, that "[If] I have ever stolen an idea or a result (in) my entire life, (then) hang me."{{Cite news|last=Prashanth|first=G.N.|url=https://www.pressreader.com/india/the-times-of-india-mumbai-edition/20120223/282102043592338|title=Plagiarism row: Charges shocking, unfair, says Rao|date=23 February 2012|work=The Times of India|access-date=3 March 2020}} But Rao's article contains similar study to and duplicated figures with that of Matheu et al. An article in the Journal of Luminescence in 2011, written with Chitara, Nidhi Lal and Krupanidhi,{{Cite journal|last1=Chitara|first1=Basant|last2=Lal|first2=Nidhi|last3=Krupanidhi|first3=S.B.|last4=Rao|first4=C.N.R.|date=2011|title=Electroluminescence from GaN–polymer heterojunction|journal=Journal of Luminescence|language=en|volume=131|issue=12|pages=2612–2615|doi=10.1016/j.jlumin.2011.04.027|bibcode=2011JLum..131.2612C}} contains 20 unattributed lines which appear to be copied from articles by Itskos et al. in Nanotechnology (June 2009 issue) and Heliotis et al. in Advanced Materials (January 2006 issue). Another article in Nanotechnology, written also with Chitara and Krupanidhi,{{Cite journal|last1=Chitara|first1=Basant|last2=Ivan Jebakumar|first2=D S|last3=Rao|first3=C N R|last4=Krupanidhi|first4=S B|date=2009-10-07|title=Negative differential resistance in GaN nanocrystals above room temperature|journal=Nanotechnology|volume=20|issue=40|page=405205|doi=10.1088/0957-4484/20/40/405205|pmid=19738301|bibcode=2009Nanot..20N5205C|s2cid=206055962 }} uses six lines from the 1995 article by Huang et al. in Applied Physics Letters.

Rao was given a Bharat Ratna by the Government of India in spite of the controversy and was active as a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR).{{cite web|url=http://www.jncasr.ac.in/cnrrao/|title=Rao C.N.R – Home|last=styleshout.com|first=Erwin Aligam -|website=www.jncasr.ac.in|language=en|access-date=2018-10-04}} In December 2013, brother and sister Tanaya Thakur, a law student, and Aditya Thakur, a class XII student, filed a public interest litigation in Allahabad High Court, Lucknow Bench, to challenge Rao's Bharat Ratna. They asserted that "a scientist with proven cases of plagiarism shall not be presented the highest civilian award."{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/north/story/pil-tanaya-thakur-aditya-thakur-bharat-ratna-cnr-rao-allahabad-high-court-219700-2013-12-05|title=PIL filed by class 12 students against Bharat Ratna to CNR Rao to be heard today|date=5 December 2013|website=India Today|language=en|access-date=2020-03-03}} But the court ruled them out as "filing pleas for publicity."{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/anurag-thakur-nutan-thakurmeet-mr-mrs-petition-thakur/|title=Meet Mr & Mrs Petition Thakur|date=2018-08-20|website=The Indian Express|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-03}} There was another plea to revoke the award in 2015, but the Central Information Commission dismissed the petition.{{cite web|url=https://indiankanoon.org/doc/14420427/|title=Mrsubhash Chandra Agrawal vs Ministry Of Home Affairs on 16 February, 2016|website=indiankanoon.org|access-date=2020-03-03}}

On 17 November 2013, at a press conference following the announcement of his Bharat Ratna, he called the Indian politicians "idiots" which caused a national outrage. He said, "Why the hell have these idiots [politicians] given so little to us despite what we have done? For the money that the government has given us we [scientists] have done much more."{{cite web|title=All you need to know about Bharat Ratna awardee CNR Rao |date= 18 November 2013| url= http://www.firstpost.com/india/all-you-need-to-know-about-bharat-ratna-awardee-cnr-rao-1233625.html |work=Firstpost.India |access-date=22 November 2013}} In his defence Rao insisted that he merely talked about the "idiotic" way the politicians ignore investments for research funding in science.{{cite web|title= CNR Rao does damage control after outbursts; Jaipal Reddy agrees with Rao's views on funding|date= 18 November 2013| url= https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/CNR-Rao-does-damage-control-after-outbursts-Jaipal-Reddy-agrees-with-Raos-views-on-funding/articleshow/25992976.cms | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131121062541/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-11-18/india/44201429_1_jaipal-reddy-science-and-technology-science-sector | url-status= live | archive-date= 21 November 2013 |work= The Times of India|access-date=22 November 2013}}

{{Reflist|35em}}

• C.N.R. Rao (2010). [{{Google books |plainurl=yes |id=-ajEFddmiDUC }} Climbing the Limitless Ladder: A Life in Chemistry]. World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., Singapore. {{ISBN|9814307866}}

{{wikiquote}}

{{commons category|C. N. R. Rao}}

• [http://www.casinapioiv.va/content/accademia/en/academicians/ordinary/rao.html Academic profile at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110723051209/http://www.dandavidprize.org/index.php/laureates/laureates-2005/66-2005-future-materials-science/105-prof-cnr-rao.html Dan David Prize laureate 2005]
• [http://www.jncasr.ac.in/cnrrao Prof. CNR Rao @ JNCASR]
• [http://www.jncasr.ac.in/ Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research]
• [http://www.jncasr.ac.in/hos C.N.R. Rao Hall of Science]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130206115243/http://sscu.iisc.ernet.in/cnr_rao.html Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit]

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Science & Engineering}}

{{SSBPST recipients in Chemical Science}}

{{Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Laureates of Karnataka}}

{{Bharat Ratna}}

{{Padma Vibhushan Awards}}

{{Founding members of the World Cultural Council}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, C. N. R.}}

Category:1934 births

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