Prof. Vijayendra Kasturi Ranga Varadaraja Rao was a multifaceted personality - Economist, Educationist, Administrator and Institution builder. After collegiate education in Bombay, he obtained a Ph.D in Economics from Cambridge in 1936. Commencing from his first Professional employment as Lecturer in Economics at Wilson College, Bombay, VKRV Rao held various prestigious academic and administrative positions such as Vice Chancellor, Delhi University, Planning Commission Member, Union Cabinet Minister first for Shipping and Transport and then Education and Youth Services.He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1974. He was the founder of Delhi School of Economics, Institute of Economic Growth and Institute for Social and Economic Change