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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Barry Ramachandra Rao
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1922|11|21}}
| birth_place = Yalamanchili, [[Visakhapatnam district|Visakhapatnam]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2005|9|24|1922|11|21}}
| death_place = Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
| residence =
| nationality = [[Indian nationality|Indian]]
| fields = {{ublist | [[Space physics]] }}
| workplaces = {{ublist | [[Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation|CSIRO]] | [[University Grants Commission of India|UGC]] | National Fisheries Advisory Board }}
| alma_mater = {{ublist | [[Andhra University]] }}
| doctoral_advisor = {{ublist | [[Suri Bhagavantam]] | [[David Forbes Martyn]] }}
| doctoral_students =
| known_for = Studies on [[radio physics]]
| awards = {{ublist| 1944 [[Andhra University|AU]] Sripathi Medal | 1945 [[Andhra University|AU]] Metcalf Medal | 1965 [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize]] }}
}}
'''Barry Ramachandra Rao''' (21 November 1922 – 24 September 2005) was an Indian space physicist and the vice chairman of the [[University Grants Commission of India]]. Known for his pioneering research in radio physics, Rao was a [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha|Member of Parliament]] of the [[Rajya Sabha]] and an elected fellow of all the three major Indian science academies viz. [[Indian Academy of Sciences]], [[Indian National Science Academy]] and [[National Academy of Sciences, India]]. The [[Council of Scientific and Industrial Research]], the apex agency of the Government of India for scientific research, awarded him the [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology]], one of the highest Indian science awards for his contributions to Physical Sciences in 1965.<ref name="View Bhatnagar Awardees">{{cite web | url=http://ssbprize.gov.in/Content/AwardeeList.aspx | title=View Bhatnagar Awardees | publisher=Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize | date=2016 | accessdate=12 November 2016}}</ref>{{Refn|group=note|Long link – please select award year to see details}}

== Biography ==
[[File:Andhra University Entrance Gate.jpg|thumb|235px|Entrance to Andhra University]]
B. Ramachandra Rao was born on 21 November 1922 at Yalamanchili, a small village in [[Visakhapatnam district]] of the undivided [[Andhra Pradesh]] in [[British India]] in a fisherman's family of limited financial means.<ref name="Barry Ramachandra Rao (1922–2005)">{{Cite web |url=http://www.iisc.ernet.in/currsci/may252006/1438.pdf |title=Barry Ramachandra Rao (1922–2005) |last=P. Balarama Rao |date=May 2006 |publisher=Current Science |work=Obituary}}</ref> After early schooling at local institutions, he did his intermediate course at [[Visakhapatnam]] before joining [[Andhra University]] for his graduate studies. It was during this time, he had the opportunity to train under [[Suri Bhagavantam]], a known physicist, who would later go on to become the vice chancellor of [[Osmania University]]. After completing the degree of BSc (hons) in 1944 winning Sripathi Medal for standing first in the university, he obtained the degree of MSc in 1945, again with a first rank which earned him the Metcalf Medal. Subsequently, he joined Andhra University as a lecturer and simultaneously did his doctoral studies on ''diffraction of light by high frequency ultrasonic waves'' under the guidance of Bhagavantam, to secure the degree of [[Doctor of Science]] in 1949.<ref name="Deceased fellow">{{Cite web |url=http://insaindia.res.in/detail/N69-0628 |title=Deceased fellow |date=2017 |publisher=Indian National Science Academy}}</ref>

On receiving a Commonwealth Senior Research Fellowship, Rao moved to Australia to do his post-doctoral work with [[David Forbes Martyn]], a T. K. Sidey Medal recipient,<ref name="T. K. Sidey Medal">{{Cite web |url=http://royalsociety.org.nz/programmes/awards/sidey-medal/recipients/ |title=T. K. Sidey Medal |date=2017 |publisher=Royal Society of New Zealand}}</ref> and a [[Fellow of the Royal Society]] at his laboratory at [[Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation]] (CSIRO). At Martyn's laboratory, he worked on experimental space physics and after returning to India, he resumed his career at Andhra University where spent the rest of his academic career till his superannuation as a professor and head of the department of physics. In 1976, the Government of India appointed him as the vice chairman of the [[University Grants Commission (India)|University Grants Commission]] and he held the post for two terms until 1982 when he was elected to the [[Rajya Sabha]].<ref name="Teacher who spent his time with students">{{Cite newspaper |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/teacher-who-spent-his-time-with-students/article7688252.ece |title=Teacher who spent his time with students |journal=The Hindu |date=25 September 2015 |last1=Bhattacharjee |first1=Sumit }}</ref> He completed one full term as a [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha|member of parliament]] (1982–88) and later served as the part-time chair of the National Fisheries Advisory Board in 1989.<ref name="Deceased fellow" />

Rao died on 24 September 2005, at the age of 82, survived by his wife and siblings.<ref name="Barry Ramachandra Rao (1922–2005)" />

== Legacy ==
[[File:SODAR-AQ500.jpg|thumb|235px|AQ500 SoDAR used in wind energy development and wind condition monitoring]]
One of the principal contributions of Rao in the academic field was the establishment of a laboratory for Ionosphere and Space Research (ISRL) at the [[Waltair]] campus of Andhra University<ref name="Department of Physics Profile">{{Cite web |url=http://andhrauniversity.edu.in/science/physics/index.html |title=Department of Physics Profile |date=2017 |publisher=Andhra University |access-date=8 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170528160156/http://www.andhrauniversity.edu.in/science/physics/index.html |archive-date=28 May 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> which would evolve into an advanced space science centre, and it was here, he hosted a number of researchers.<ref name="Barry Ramachandra Rao (1922–2005)" /> He was also instrumental in introducing computer at the university.<ref name="Teacher who spent his time with students" /> He maintained his interest in [[ultrasonics]] which he had worked on during his doctoral studies and his initial work at ISRL led to the discovery that [[diffraction pattern]]s followed [[Bragg's Law]] in high frequency regions.<ref name="Barry Ramachandra Rao on Neglected Science">{{Cite web |url=http://www.neglectedscience.com/alphabetical-list/r/barry-ramachandra-rao |title=Barry Ramachandra Rao on Neglected Science |date=2017 |publisher=Neglected Science}}</ref> For furthering their research, the team led by him developed novel methodologies for measuring ultrasonic velocities in liquids and solids with high precision and developed purpose-built instruments such as transmitters, receivers and [[oscillograph]]s for pulse measurement, seismic sounders and satellite signal recorders.<ref name="Deceased fellow" /> He designed a ''multi-frequency HF phase path radar'' which was the first equipment of its kind that used ''spaced-receiver configuration''.<ref name="Barry Ramachandra Rao on Neglected Science" /> The other equipment developed by his team included an ''HF phase path sounder'' which was a first time development, as well as an ionospheric drift recorder, a meteor radar and a [[SODAR|SOnic Detection And Ranging]] system (SODAR). He and his colleagues published seven articles detailing the body of their work in ultrasonics and six of them appeared in [[Nature (journal)|Nature]]. This pioneering research on [[ionospheric]] plasma contributed to the development of [[High frequency|HF]] [[Doppler radar]], meteor radar and SODAR systems presently in use.<ref name="Teacher who spent his time with students" /> He also carried out studies on [[Ionospheric dynamo region]] and on the horizontal winds ''over a sunspot cycle''.<ref name="Brief Profile of the Awardee">{{Cite web |url=http://ssbprize.gov.in/content/Detail.aspx?AID=301 |title=Brief Profile of the Awardee |date=2017 |publisher=Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize}}</ref> His studies have been documented by way of a number of articles{{Refn|group=note|Please see ''Selected bibliography'' section}} of which many have been listed by the article repository of the [[Indian Academy of Sciences]].<ref name="Browse by Fellow">{{Cite web |url=http://repository.ias.ac.in/view/fellows/Ramachandra_Rao=3ABarry=3A=3A.html |title=Browse by Fellow |date=2017 |publisher=Indian Academy of Sciences}}</ref> He also edited three books, ''Physics of the solid state : commemoration volume to Professor S. Bhagavantam'',<ref name="Physics of the solid state : commemoration volume to Professor S. Bhagavantam">{{Cite book |title=Physics of the solid state : commemoration volume to Professor S. Bhagavantam |author1=S Bhagavantam |author2=S Balakrishna |author3=Mada Krishnamurthi |author4=B Ramachandra Rao |publisher=Academic Press |year=1969 |isbn=9780120766505 |page=[https://archive.org/details/physicsofsolidst0000unse/page/9780120766505 9780120766505] |oclc=65732 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/physicsofsolidst0000unse/page/9780120766505 }}</ref> and ''Bhagavantam Volume: Volume in Honour of Prof. S. Bhagavantam on the Occasion of the 60th Birthday, 14.04.1969''<ref name="Bhagavantam Volume: Volume in Honour of Prof. S. Bhagavantam on the Occasion of the 60th Birthday, 14.04.1969">{{Cite book |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bhagavantam-Honour-Occasion-Birthday-14-04-1969/dp/B001A9A2M6/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491576215&sr=1-6 |title=Bhagavantam Volume: Volume in Honour of Prof. S. Bhagavantam on the Occasion of the 60th Birthday, 14.04.1969 |last=S. Bhagavantam , S. Balakrishna , M. Krishnamurthy , B. Ramachandra Rao |publisher=Bangalore Printing & Pub Co |year=1969 |asin=B001A9A2M6}}</ref> both [[festschrift]]s on his mentor, as well as ''Science, Technology and Education for Prosperity'',<ref name="Science, Technology & Education for Prosperity">{{Cite book |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Science-Technology-Education-Prosperity-Bhagavantam/dp/B005W7VPBY/ref=la_B00J2A20MU_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491495264&sr=1-1 |title=Science, Technology & Education for Prosperity |last=S Bhagavantam , B Ramachandra Rao , S Balakrishna |publisher=Unknown Binding |year=1979 |page=216 |asin=B005W7VPBY}}</ref> and his work has drawn citations in books published by others.<ref name="Rawer2013">{{cite book|author=K. Rawer|title=Annals of the International Geophysical Year: Ionospheric Drift Observations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VMU3BQAAQBAJ&pg=PA5|date=22 October 2013|publisher=Elsevier Science|isbn=978-1-4832-2665-1|pages=5–}}</ref><ref name="Beynon2013">{{cite book|author=W. J. G. Beynon|title=Annals of the International Geophysical Year: Bibliography and Index|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dsQ3BQAAQBAJ&pg=PA49|date=22 October 2013|publisher=Elsevier Science|isbn=978-1-4832-2650-7|pages=49–}}</ref><ref name="Symposium1962">{{cite book|author=IGY Symposium|title=Proceedings|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gervAAAAMAAJ|year=1962|publisher=Council of Scientific & Industrial Research}}</ref>

Rao, who is reported to have introduced many educational plans during his tenure as the vice-chair of the University Grants Commission of India, presided the [[Indian Science Congress]] on ''Man and the ocean – resource and development'' of 1983 held in [[Tirupati]].<ref name="List of Past General Presidents">{{Cite web |url=http://sciencecongress.nic.in/past_general_presidents.php |title=List of Past General Presidents |date=2017 |publisher=Indian Science Congress Association}}</ref> He served as the president of the [[National Academy of Sciences, India]]<ref name="Past Presidents">{{Cite web |url=http://www.nasi.org.in/pastprez.htm |title=Past Presidents |date=2017 |publisher=National Academy of Sciences, India}}</ref> and the Acoustical Society of India during 1981–82.<ref name="OFFICE BEARERS OF ASI OVER THE YEARS">{{Cite web |url=http://www.acousticsindia.org/pre_off_bearers.html |title=OFFICE BEARERS OF ASI OVER THE YEARS |date=2017 |publisher=Acoustical Society of India |access-date=8 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118232325/http://www.acousticsindia.org/pre_off_bearers.html |archive-date=18 January 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was a member of the governing body of the [[Council of Scientific and Industrial Research]] during 1977–89 and sat in the science and engineering council of the [[Department of Science and Technology (India)|Department of Science and Technology]] from 1977 to 1981.<ref name="Deceased fellow" /> He chaired the Indian National Committee for [[International Union of Radio Science]] (INCURSI) and was a member of the committees of the [[International Union of Pure and Applied Physics]] for India and [[Tropospheric scatter#Tropospheric scatter communications networks|Tropospheric scatter communications networks]]. He also served as an honorary consultant to [[Defence Research and Development Organization]].<ref name="Deceased fellow" />

== Awards and honors ==
Rao received of the Sripathi Medal and Metcalf Medal of Andhra University during his college days; the university would honor him again with a doctorate ([[honoris causa]]) in 1970.<ref name="Barry Ramachandra Rao (1922–2005)" /> The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research awarded him the [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize]], one of the highest Indian science awards in 1965.<ref name="CSIR list of Awardees">{{Cite web |url=http://www.csir.res.in/careeraward/prize-winner-indexdiscipline-wise |title=CSIR list of Awardees |date=2017 |publisher=Council of Scientific and Industrial Research}}</ref> The [[Indian National Science Academy]] elected him as a fellow in 1969 and he became a fellow of the [[Indian Academy of Sciences]]<ref name="Fellow profile">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ias.ac.in/listing/bibliography/jess/B._R._Rao |title=Fellow profile |date=2017 |publisher=Indian Academy of Sciences}}</ref> and the [[National Academy of Sciences, India]] in 1974 and 1978 respectively.<ref name="NASI Deceased fellows">{{Cite web |url=http://www.nasi.org.in/deceased.htm |title=NASI Deceased fellows |date=2017 |publisher=National Academy of Sciences, India |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528102550/http://www.nasi.org.in/deceased.htm |archivedate=2015-05-28 }}</ref> He was also a fellow of the Andhra Pradesh Academy of Sciences, Astronomical Society of India and Indian Physics Association and Acoustical Society of India. The award orations delivered by him included Professor [[Suri Bhagavantam]] oration to commemorate his 60th birthday in 1977, [[Sir C. V. Raman]] Endowment oration of [[Madurai Kamaraj University]] in 1981 and G. P. Chatterjee Fellowship oration of [[Bengal Engineering College]] in 1982.<ref name="Deceased fellow" />

== Selected bibliography ==
=== Books ===
* {{Cite book |title=Physics of the solid state : commemoration volume to Professor S. Bhagavantam |author1=S Bhagavantam |author2=S Balakrishna |author3=Mada Krishnamurthi |author4=B Ramachandra Rao |publisher=Academic Press |year=1969 |isbn=9780120766505 |page=[https://archive.org/details/physicsofsolidst0000unse/page/9780120766505 9780120766505] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/physicsofsolidst0000unse/page/9780120766505 }}
* {{Cite book |title=Bhagavantam Volume: Volume in Honour of Prof. S. Bhagavantam on the Occasion of the 60th Birthday, 14.04.1969 |last=S. Bhagavantam , S. Balakrishna , M. Krishnamurthy , B. Ramachandra Rao |publisher=Bangalore Printing & Pub Co |year=1969 |asin=B001A9A2M6}}
* {{Cite book |title=Science, Technology & Education for Prosperity |last=S Bhagavantam , B Ramachandra Rao , S Balakrishna |publisher=Unknown Binding |year=1979 |page=216 |asin=B005W7VPBY}}

=== Article ===
* {{Cite journal |last=S. Bhagavantham, B. Ramachandra Rao |title=Diffraction of light by high-frequency ultrasonic waves |journal=Nature |date=1947 |volume=159 |issue=4034 |pages=267 |doi=10.1038/159267a0|pmid=20287528 |bibcode=1947Natur.159..267B |doi-access=free }}
* {{Cite journal |last=B Ramachandra Rao |title=A new ultrasonic method for determining elastic constants |journal=Current Science |date=1950 |volume=19 |issue=5 |pages=148–149 |pmid=15427340}}
* {{Cite journal |author1=P R K L Padmini |author2=B Ramachandra Rao |title=Study of Temperature Variation of Ultrasonic Velocity and Adiabatic Compressibility in Some Liquids–Part I |journal=Journal of the Physical Society of Japan |date=1961 |volume=16 |issue=9 |pages=1770–1776|doi=10.1143/JPSJ.16.1770|bibcode=1961JPSJ...16.1770P }}
* {{Cite journal |author1=P R K L Padmini |author2=B Ramachandra Rao |title=Study of Temperature Variation of Ultrasonic Velocity and Adiabatic Compressibility in Some Liquids–Part II |journal=Journal of the Physical Society of Japan |date=1962 |volume=17 |issue=11 |pages=1792–1798|doi=10.1143/JPSJ.17.1792}}
* {{Cite journal |author1=M G Seshagiri Rao |author2=B Ramachandra Rao |title=Temperature Variation of Acoustic Velocity in Aqueous Solutions of Electrolytes |journal=Journal of the Physical Society of Japan |date=1964 |volume=19 |issue=8 |pages=1394–1401 |doi=10.1143/JPSJ.19.1394|bibcode=1964JPSJ...19.1394R }}
* {{Cite journal |author1=A S Mohana Rao |author2=B Ramachandra Rao |title=Some studies on the ionospheric absorption at Waltair |journal=Journal of Atmospheric and Terrestrial Physics |date=1968 |volume=30 |issue=6 |pages=1239–1244 |doi=10.1016/S0021-9169(68)80012-1|bibcode=1968JATP...30.1239M }}
* {{Cite journal |author1=Sastri, J. Hanumath |author2=Rao, B. Ramachandra |title=The skewness of correlation functions in drift measurements |journal= Journal of Atmospheric and Terrestrial Physics|date=1973 |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=583–587 |doi=10.1016/0021-9169(73)90048-2|bibcode=1973JATP...35..583S }}

== See also ==
{{portal|India|Physics}}

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=note|2}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Cite web |url=http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/search/searchresult.jsp?searchWithin=%22Authors%22:.QT.B.%20Ramachandra%20Rao.QT.&newsearch=true |title=B. Ramachandra Rao |date=2017 |publisher=IEEE Xplore |work=Article listing}}

{{SSBPST recipients in Physical Science}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, Barry Ramachandra}}
[[Category:1922 births]]
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Visakhapatnam district]]
[[Category:Indian space scientists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian physicists]]
[[Category:Indian technology writers]]
[[Category:Andhra University alumni]]
[[Category:Andhra University faculty]]
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Medical Science]]
[[Category:Fellows of The National Academy of Sciences, India]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Indian Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Indian National Science Academy]]
[[Category:Indian scientific authors]]
[[Category:Scientists from Visakhapatnam]]

Barry Ramachandra Rao - Revision history

->OAbot at 07:16, 7 May 2021