Career
He was appointed in July 2014. Prior to his appointment, Rao served as a professor of history at Kakatiya University in Telangana. He was Former Head of the department, Chairman (board of studies) and former dean of Faculty of Social Sciences, Kakatiya University,Telangana.
Although Rao serves as head of the Andhra Pradesh chapter of the Royal Statistical Society, UK subsidiary organisation Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana (ABISY), Rao has stated "he has not been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh".
Rao was born at Kollapur, Mahbubnagar district in Andhra Pradesh (now in Telangana). He worked as a professor in the department of history and tourism management at Kakatiya University for forty years, serving as department head from 1988 to 1992 and would later serve as dean of the social sciences faculty.
The Hindu has reported that he has published over forty research papers in national and international journals and contributed to the Andhra Pradesh History Congress. Reacting to his appointment as, historian Romila Thapar questioned the academic rigour of Rao"s work, and stated that while he may have "published popular articles on the historicity of the Indian epics", those articles had not been published in peer-reviewed journals.
He was supported by Professor MGS Narayanan, a former After serving as chairperson for 16 months, Rao resigned from his position on 24 November 2015, citing personal reasons.
