Prof. A. K. Rao spent most of his career as Prof. of Aerospace Engineering at the IIndian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

He started his career as an Officer of the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry before obtaining his Ph.D. from the Imperial College as an Assam Oil Scholar. He then worked at the Folland Aircraft Co. before returning to an academic career in India. After retiring from the IISc after a distinguished career serving as Dean of Engineering and as the KSIIDC Chair of Mechanical Sciences and building a leading Structural Mechanics program that graduated 25 Ph.D. students, he retired to become a CSIR Fellow at the National Aeronautics Labs. He then became Director, Engineering Staff College of India, focused on improving the skills of working professionals. His last official position was Advisor, Satyam Computers, helping Satya's management team build a program that rapidly transforms fresh graduates into software professionals.

Prof. founded and served as President of the Indian Society for the Advancement of Materials and Process Engineering and the Indian Society for Non-Destructive Testing. He also served as President of the Aero Society of India. He was a Fellow of many of these societies.

Prof. Rao spent his final years between India and the US, spending time with friends, colleagues and his grand children.