Narla Tata Rao

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Narla Tata Rao (4^th September, 1917 - 7^th April, 2007) was a doyen of the power sector in India and a former chairman of the Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board.^[1]

1 Early years
2 Achievements
3 Positions held
4 Honour
5 Notes

[edit] Early years

Tata Rao was born in Kowthavaram in Krishna district. After his early education in Andhra Pradesh, he graduated in engineering from the Banaras Hindu University in 1941 and obtained an MS in power systems engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, USA.^[2]

[edit] Achievements

Tata Rao built the Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board from scratch in 1958. The late K.L. Rao appointed him as Member (Thermal) in the Central Water and Power Commission (CWPC) in 1972. However, Jalagam Vengala Rao spared no efforts to get Tata Rao to the Andhra Pradesh in August 1974. Tata Rao became synonymous with the energy sector in Andhra Pradesh. He increased the installed capacity of the State grid five-fold by conceiving giant generation projects like Vijayawada Thermal Station, Nagarjunasagar, Srisailam and Lower Sileru, thus forming a strong base for Andhra Pradesh's electricity sector, which is now considered one of the best in the country.^[3]

[edit] Positions held

Engineer, Tata Iron and Steel Company
Divisional Engineer, Electricity Board, Madhya Pradesh
Secretary, Chief Engineer and Chairman, Electricity Board, Madhya Pradesh.
Member, Hydroelectricity Commission, Government of India.
Chairman, Electricity Board, Andhra Pradesh
Chairman, Energy Research Commission, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi
Director, Bharat Aluminium

[edit] Honour

Honorary Member, Electrical Engineering Association and General Science Association, Sigma XI (USA)
Padma Shri, Government of India ^[4].
Om Prakash Bhasin Award, Government of India