Dr Prahalada Ramarao is a renowned missile and rocket scientist with distinguished tenures at both DRDO and ISRO. He currently serves as Pro-Chancellor at S-VYASA (a Deemed-to-be University in Bengaluru) and is also Adjunct Faculty in the Departments of Management and Aerospace at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru.
Dr Ramarao previously served as Vice-Chancellor of the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), Pune, from 2011 to 2014. Prior to that, he held senior roles at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), including Distinguished Scientist and Chief Controller (R&D – Aero & Services Interaction), Ministry of Defence, New Delhi, and as Director of the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad.
An alumnus of Bangalore University and IISc, he holds a Master’s in Aeronautical Engineering with a specialisation in Rockets and Missile Systems, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad.
Over five decades, Dr Ramarao has led pivotal roles in missile development, aerodynamics, propulsion systems, and aerospace innovation. As Director of DRDL (1997–2005), he led major projects such as the AKASH missile system and the BrahMos joint venture. At DRDO HQ, he was instrumental in strengthening international collaborations, driving technology transfer initiatives, and shaping DRDO’s industry interface.
His numerous honours include the Padma Shri (2015), Scientist of the Year (DRDO), the Eminent Engineers Award by the Institution of Engineers (Delhi), and the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Hyderabad Management Association, among others.
CMR University is privileged to welcome Dr Ramarao to its academic community as Professor Emeritus.