VISAKHAPATNAM: Noted academician and former chancellor of GITAM deemed to be University Koneru Ramakrishna Rao passed away at the age of 89 here on Tuesday. He was an internationally-recognised psychologist, Gandhian scholar and educator, and received Padma Shri in 2011.
He served as the vice-chancellor of Andhra University, executive director of Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man, USA, chairman of AP State Council of Higher Education, and education advisor to the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Ramakrishna Rao also served as the chairman of the Indian Council of Philosophical Research. For his research contributions, he was elected three times as the president of the Parapsychological Association (USA) and once as the president of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology. He wrote over 20 books and published about 300 research papers.
He was instrumental in initiating many key reforms in the university curriculum when he was the vice-chancellor of Andhra University and also chairman of APSCHE. Rao’s work, Psychology in the Indian Tradition, which was co-authored with Anand Paranjpe was widely acclaimed.
GITAM president M. Sribharath said Ramakrishna Rao played a pivotal role in the academic growth of the varsity, and guided faculty members towards academic excellence in their respective fields.GITAM V-C K Sivaramakrishna said Rao was a remarkable leader with energy and vision.