Renowned mathematician Dr. C R Rao passes away at 102

Distinguished Indian mathematician and statistician, Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao, known as C R Rao, passed away at the age of 102 in the United States of America on August 23. His contributions to statistics earned him global recognition, shaping various disciplines.

Born on September 10, 1920 in  Ballari, of the erstwhile Madras Presidency (now Karnataka), Rao’s academic journey led him from Andhra University to the University of Kolkata for an MA in Statistics. He furthered his studies at Cambridge University, obtaining a Ph.D. in 1948. Rao’s career began at the Indian Statistical Institute, where he eventually became the director.

Rao’s impact extended far beyond academia. He authored 477 research papers and 15 influential books. His seminal 1945 research paper published in the Calcutta Mathematical Society received the International Prize in Statistics this year, likened to the “Nobel Prize for statistics.” This accolade highlighted his enduring influence.

His contributions stretched into diverse domains such as economics, genetics, and anthropology, pioneering the field of information geometry. Rao’s accolades included the Padma Bhushan in 1968, Padma Vibhushan in 2001, and the US National Medal of Science in 2002. He founded the CR Rao Advanced Institute of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science in Hyderabad.

Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her condolences and wrote:  “Deeply shocked to know about the passing away of eminent Indian-American scientist Dr.C.R.Rao garu. His works earned him the prestigious International Prize in Statistics-2023 and his monumental work in statistics will continue to enormously impact the discipline of statistics and varied other disciplines. He remains a great inspiration to many aspiring scientists across generations. In his demise, Mother India lost one of its great scientists. Heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved family.”