Ramakrishna Rao, Prof.

Professor Koneru Ramakrishna Rao is a philosopher, psychologist and educationist with vast experience in national and international arena as a teacher, researcher and administrator. Professor Ramakrishna Rao studied philosophy under the tutelage of professors Saileswar Sen and Satchidananda Murthy at Andhra University and with Richard McKeon at the University of Chicago and received Ph.D. and D.Lit. degrees. He worked with Dr. J.B. Rhine at Duke University and later headed his famous Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man as its Executive Director.

In a career spanning over several decades Professor Rao made significant contributions to Gandhian thought, philosophy of mind and cross-cultural studies. He published nearly two hundred research papers and twelve books, ranging from his early book Gandhi and Pragmatism (Oxford & IBH, 1968) to the more recent one Consciouness Studies: Cross-Cultural Perspectives (McFarland, 2005). Along with Professor K. Satchidananda Murthy, Dr. Rao edited Current Trends in Indian Philosophy (Asia Publishing House and Andhra University Press, 1972). Prof. Rao is currently an Editorial Fellow in the Project History of Indian Science, Philosophy and Culture headed by Prof. D.P. Chattopadhyaya. Under this project Prof. Rao’s book Cognitive Anomalies, Consciousness and Yoga is nearing completion and expected to be published soon.

Professor Rao, who began his academic career in the Department of Philosophy of Andhra University, held over a period of thirty years various teaching and administrative positions and started a number of new programs there. He also undertook various important academic assignments abroad and taught at several universities in USA, including Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and California Institute for Human Science. Professor Rao has traveled widely and lectured at a number of universities and participated in a large number of national and international conferences. He visited and lectured at universities in USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Greece, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Pakistan, Thailand, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

In addition to teaching and research Prof. Ramakrishna Rao served in several top level administrative, executive and advisory positions. Prof. Rao was Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University, Advisor on Higher Education to the Government of Andhra Pradesh, Chairman of the A.P. State Commissionerate of Higher Education (the predecessor of the present A.P. state Council of Higher Education), and Vice-Chairman of Andhra Pradesh State Planning Board with the rank of a cabinet minister. He chaired a number of state and national level committees such as the Committee on Governance of Universities in the State, Committee on Higher Education of Government of Andhra Pradesh, Committee on establishing a Rural University in Andhra Pradesh, Committee on Establishing an Institute for Professional Studies, and the Committee on Reforming School Education. The reports of all these committees are published. They were extensively discussed and became the bases for state legislation and administrative action.

Prof. Ramakrishna Rao is currently President of the Institute for Human Science & Service, an experimental institution in Gandhian education to link learning and classrooms with community centers of service.