J. Rameshwar Rao
# J. Rameshwar Rao

Janumpally Rameshwar Rao (1923–1998) was an Indian lawyer, diplomat, member of parliament, and book publisher. Rao joined Indian Foreign Service in 1949 and served as commissioner for the Government of India in various African nations. He was elected as a Member of Parliament to the second, third, fourth, and fifth Lok Sabha successively during 1957–1977 from Mahabhubnagar constituency.

## Life sketch

He was born on 23 February 1923 in Madras to a Raja Krishnadeva Rao and Rani Sarala Devi, belonging to the Wanaparthy Samasthanam. He was also the titular Raja of Wanaparthy from 1944 until 1971, when, by the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of India, the privy purses of the princes were abolished and official recognition of their titles came to an end.

He studied at Nizam College, Hyderabad, Madras University, and Bombay University. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1949. He established Orient Longman (now Orient Blackswan) as a specifically Indian book publishing company in 1948. He was First Secretary, Indian Commission in Nairobi, 1950—52; acted as Commissioner for the Government of India in East Africa, 1950-51; Commissioner for the Government of India in Gold Coast and Nigeria, 1953—56; previously associated with Socialist Wing of the Congress.

He was a Member of Parliament,

* Second Lok Sabha, 1957— 62,
* Third Lok Sabha, 1962—67
* Fourth Lok Sabha, 1967—70
* Fifth Lok Sabha, 1971—77,

He was also Member of

* Indian Delegation to the United Nations, 1958
* United Nations Conciliation Commission for the Congo, 1960-61
* Indian Delegation to Afro-Asian Conference in Algiers, 1964-65.

He died at the age of 75 years in Hyderabad on 15 September 1998. He is survived by wife Shanta (the founder of the Vidyanarayana School), a son (father of designer Kiran Rao) and three daughters, including Nandini Rao, journalist and key person at Orient Blackswan. Another daughter, Hindustani singer Vidya Rao, was married to Ehsaan Hydari, from the Tyabji family and they are the parents of actress, Aditi Rao Hydari.

