Irrigation Expert R Vidyasagar Rao Passes Away

Advisor to the Telangana government on water sources R Vidyasagar Rao passed away this morning.

He was suffering from cancer for the last two years. He had gone to USA for treatment a few months back, but there was no change in his condition. He was admitted to Continental Hospitals on April 22, after being on a ventilator for many weeks. In a bulletin, the hospital said that the malignant cancer spread to other vital organs resulting in his condition deteriorating as a result, and his suffering a cardiac arrest and passing away this morning.

Rao was considered an authority on irrigation matters. Born on November 14, 1939, he did his BE from Osmania University in 1960 and his master's degree in Water Resources Development in University Of Roorkee in 1979. He had also earned Diploma in Water Resources Systems Engineering from Colorado State University (USA) in 1983, and Bachelor of Law from Delhi University in 1990.

He worked with the Central Water Commission, Union Ministry of Water Resources, in various capacities, and retired as Chief Engineer. He also worked as a consultant to United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) at Nairobi (Kenya) and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) during November-December 1991.

In addition, he also served as Member of Working Group of Major, Medium Irrigation & Command Area Development Project for XII Five Year Plan of Planning Commission, and as Resources Person, National Commission for Integrated Water Resources Development Plan.

He played a key role in the Telangana movement and used to say that Telangana would get its legitimate share in the river waters only if it parted from Andhra Pradesh.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu conveyed their condolences to his family.