# Rao (Indian surname)

Rao is a title and a surname native to India. It is used mostly in states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Telangana.

## As a surname

Notable people with this surname or title include the following:

### Pre-independence

* Rao Tula Ram (c. 1825 – 1863) - Rewari King who fought Great Battle of 1857.
* T. Madhava Rao (1829–1891) - Diwan of Travancore from 1857 to 1872.
* R. Raghunatha Rao (c. February 1831 – May 3, 1912) - Diwan of Indore from 1875 to 1888
* R. Venkata Rao - Diwan of Travancore from 1821 to 1829.
* T. Subba Rao - Diwan of Travancore from 1830 to 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 to 1904
* T. Rama Rao (administrator) - Diwan of Travancore from 1887 to 1892
* T. Ramachandra Rao (1825-1879) - Indian civil servant and first native Indian to serve as Deputy Commissioner of Police of Madras.
* R. Ramachandra Rao (1871 – 1936) - Indian civil servant and mathematician.
* R. Balaji Rao (1842–1896) - an Indian politician, independence activist.
* Gangadharrao Deshpande (1871-1960) (also known as Lion of Karnataka) - Indian activist and leader of Indian independence movement against British rule from Belgaum.
* C. Hayavadana Rao (1865 – 1946) - an Indian historian, museologist, anthropologist, economist and polyglot.
* T. Gopala Rao (1832 – 1886) - educationist, served as the Principal of Government Arts College, Kumbakonam after William Archer Porter and first inspector of schools under British government.

### Post-independence

* Raja Rao writer of English-language novels and short stories, whose works are deeply rooted in metaphysics
* 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 (1920–2023), Indian-born American mathematician and statistician
* Chennamaneni Hanumantha Rao, Indian economist and writer
* C. S. Rao (writer), Indian writer, actor, director and producer
* C. S. Rao (1924–2004), an Indian 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
* Gnaneswara 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 (1923 – 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 (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 (1918 – 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; 1947 – 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, US
* Y. S. Rao, professor at IIT Bombay