DR. A. S. RAO, THE ARCHITECT OF THE ECIL
I. Satyasree
The architect
of the prestigious Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Dr. A. S.
Rao, was born on 20, September, 1914, at Mogallu Village in West Godavari
District of Andhra Pradesh. He had his early education in the Municipal School
at Eluru. He obtained his Master’s Degree in physics from Benares Hindu
University. He pursued advanced research and also taught at the same university
for some time. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the then Vice-Chancellor of the
university, recognised his talent and potential and encouraged his research. By
dint of his brilliant record, Rao was selected for the Tata Scholarship and
acquired Master’s Degree from Stanford University, U.S.A. His close association
with Dr. Homi Bhabha, the father of Atomic Energy in India, began when he
started working at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. Dr. Bhabha had
great appreciation for his work.
Dr. A. S. Rao
hailed from a very ordinary middle class family. Yet, he always had lofty
ideals and great dreams. He constantly strove hard to realise his goals and
aspirations. He had the good fortune of working in close association with Dr.
Bhabha for nearly sixteen years and took an active part in the onerous task of
designing and building up the APSARA, the first Nuclear Reactor in India.
Having realised that India was lagging behind the countries in the West in the
field of Electronics, he conceptualised ECIL and became the torch- bearer of
the Electronics revolution in our country. His contribution to the
establishment and growth of the ECIL is praiseworthy. He set up the ECIL in
1967 in Hyderabad to support the Atomic Energy and the Space Department
programmes. But for his earnest efforts it would not have been located in
Hyderabad. He worked as the Managing Director of ECIL from 1967 to 1978, facing
several challenges and hardships.
The ECIL
started with five hundred employees on 17, April, 1967 at Kapra, Hyderabad, and
at present seven thousand people are employed in it. The ECIL Television sets
were efficient and popular for a very long time. This tremendous growth is the
result of Dr. Rao’s singular effort and sense of dedication. In recognition of
his outstanding contributions, the Indian Government conferred on him the
‘Padmasree’ in 1960 and ‘Padmabhushan’ in 1972. He was honoured by several
universities and organisations and received the Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar award
in 1965.
Dr. Rao was a
man of sterling qualities and a true humanitarian who had led a simple life. He
was loved by everyone who came into his contact. ECIL employees had nearly a
thousand houses as a private colony in an area of 1070 acres and named the
locality A. S. Rao Nagar in grateful memory of this great man. This itself is a
tribute to this great scientist, who lives in the hearts of the people.
The employees
close to him recall how Dr. A. S. Rao was angry with them for naming the colony
after him. It shows his simplicity, humility and self-effacing service. He did
not accept the offer of the free gift of a plot in the colony. Though he was
the Director of the ECIL, he purchased an EC Television set with his own money.
Instances like this are galore.
He shunned
publicity, limelight and media hype. He politely declined the offer of several
organisations to felicitate him. He was averse to being garlanded. He led a
simple life almost like a rishi. He would wash the utensils if the servant was
absent. He washed his clothes. Even at the age of 88, he would prepare tea for
his guests and serve it himself. He strongly believed in self-reliance and
self-help. At his age, he used to walk two kilometers daily to maintain his
health. He preferred to travel by bus even when he was in a high position.
Dr. Rao was a stickler for discipline. He
followed high principles of conduct in discharging his duties. For example,
when he was working as the Managing Director of the ECIL, his second son
Radhakrishna was dismissed for the simple reason of negligence. What an exemplary
conduct especially in these days of corruption, favouritism and nepotism.
Dr A. S. Rao passed away on 31, October,
2003 at the ripe old age of 89. India lost a distinguished scientist,
genius-par excellence and above all a man of character.