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 •
Anil C.S. Rao, American writer and artist •
Anil V. Rao, Professor of Aerospace Engineering at
University of Florida 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. •
Svetha Yallapragada Rao (born 1986), American singer •
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 ==See also==