Prof. Rambhatla Venkata Rao

Vice Chancellor, IIULER, Goa.

Prof. (Dr.) R. Venkata Rao, born on 15th March, 1954, is the Vice Chancellor, India International University of Legal Education and Research (IIULER), Goa. He has been the Chairperson, Vivekananda School of Law and Legal Studies and Vivekananda School of English Studies (Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, New Delhi). Prior to this he served as Vice Chancellor of the National Law School of India University Bangalore. He has assumed the office of the Vice Chancellor of National Law School of India University, Bangalore on 11th May, 2009. After the completion of his 1st term on 10th May 2014, his appointment as Vice Chancellor has been renewed for another five years from 11th May 2014. National Law School of India University, Bangalore is the premier centre of Legal Education.

After serving for ten years two months and twenty one days as Vice Chancellor, Prof. (Dr.) R Venkata Rao has laid down the office of Vice Chancellor, National Law School of India University, Bengaluru on 1st August 2019.  After having relocated to Delhi, Prof. Rao has assumed the office of Chairperson, Vivekananda School of Law and Legal Studies and Vivekananda School of English Studies (Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, New Delhi) on 16th September 2019. Prof. Rao completed his tenure in VIPS, Delhi on 30th September 2022. He has joined IIULER, Goa as Director (Consultant) on 23rd January 2023. He has assumed the Office of the Vice Chancellor, IIULER, Goa 14th March 2023.

Prof. Rao’s academic qualifications are B.A.(Hons.) Litt., M.A. (Litt), M.L. and Ph.D and LL.D (Honoris Causa) 2017-Utkal University. He was awarded Prof. N.R. Madhava Menon Best Law Teacher Award for the year 2018.  To date, he has 45 years of teaching and research experience. 

He has the distinction of serving the Statutory Bodies of almost all the Law Schools in the Country. Besides, he is a member of Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs, New Delhi. He has served as Independent Director  in prestigious Public Sector Undertakings like, Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), Bangalore, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Bangalore, Goa Shipyard Ltd, Goa. He is also a member of different committees in Bar Council of India and is associated with prestigious bodies like UPSC, State Service Commissions, UGC and NAAC among others. 

Prof. Rao is a distinguished visiting Professor of Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur and Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala. He is a Honorary Professor of Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad. 

He has delivered 10 endowment lectures and 8 Convocation Address to date.

He has the distinction of receiving Gold Medal for the Best Ph.D. Thesis from the Andhra University in 1993, the Best Researcher Award from the Andhra University in 2003, the Best Teacher Award from the Government of Andhra Pradesh in 2006, he has been awarded the “Best Vice Chancellor Award for Outstanding Contribution to Education” during the World Chancellors and Vice Chancellor’s Congress- 2014 held on 27th June 2014 at Mumbai, Amity University, Noida, awarded “Amity Academic Excellence Award” twice, once in 2017 for the most distinguished contribution towards propagation of doctrine of knowledge, at the 17th International Business Summit & Research Conference INBUSH-ERA and again in 2019. He has been awarded Prof. N.R. Madhava Menon Best Law Teacher Award for the year 2018 under the aegis of Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) and Menon Institute of Legal Advocacy Training (MILAT) for outstanding services to the promotion of quality legal education.  Prof. (Dr.) R Venkata Rao has been awarded Attorney General K Parasaran Award for Outstanding scholarship in Legal Education awarded in July 2019 by the Capital Foundation Society, New Delhi.

He has authored 6 books and published more than 130 papers.

He has successfully guided 3 LL.Ds and 19 Ph.Ds. He has visited more than 30 countries for his academic and research activities.

He was the Chairperson of Board of Governors of Asian Law Institute (ASLI) for the year 2010-2011.