Rep. Krishnamoorthi puts renowned statistician Dr. C.R. Rao, in Congressional Record

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Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, recently introduced a Congressional Record entry recognizing Dr. Calyampudi Radhakrishna (C.R.) Rao’s significant achievement earlier this year of winning the International Prize in Statistics, often referred to as the Nobel Prize of statistics.

Over the course of his career, the 102 year-old Dr. Rao has authored more than 400 published research papers and books while teaching at seven universities across the world, including the University of Illinois – Urbana, in addition to founding the Advanced Institute of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science at the University of Hyderabad in India.

Dr. Rao has received numerous awards. As the University of St. Andrews in U.K. said of him, “C R Rao has received so many honours that it would be quite impossible to list them all.”

Among them is the National Medal of Science from President George W. Bush, and the Padma Vibhushan from Indian President K.R. Narayanan.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s Congressional Record entry honoring Dr. Rao is available on Rep. Krishnamoorthi’s website (Krishnamoorthi.house.gov) and its text is below:

 “Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate Dr. Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao, or C.R. Rao, for receiving the International Prize in Statistics on April 1, 2023. Often referred to as the Nobel Prize for statistics, this award recognizes his seminal 1945 work, Information and the Accuracy Attainable in the Estimation of Statistical Parameters, as fundamental to the modern field of statistics. This 2023 award comes after more than 80 years of profound contributions to statistics that continue to influence disciplines as diverse as medicine, computer science, genetics, and the social sciences. Dr. Rao has not only produced groundbreaking research; he has also supported and educated multiple generations of aspiring mathematicians and scientists.

“Dr. C.R. Rao was born as the 8th of 10 children to Telugu speaking parents in the southern Indian state of present-day Karnataka. He demonstrated an impressive comprehension of mathematics from an early age and received a master’s degree in mathematics at just 19 from Andhra University. With a desire to pursue a research career, Dr. Rao would go on to positions at the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Kolkata; Kings College at the University of Cambridge; University of Illinois, Urbana; University of Buffalo; University of Pittsburgh; and Pennsylvania State University. Over his long career, Dr. Rao has published more than 400 research papers, authored 14 books, and become among the most prominent statisticians in the world. In addition to the International Prize in Statistics, Dr. Rao is also a recipient of the National Medal of Science, presented to him by President George W. Bush, and the Padma Vibhushan, awarded to him by Indian President K.R. Narayanan.

“Throughout Dr. Rao’s career, he has remained dedicated to supporting the next generation of statisticians and mathematicians. After completing his Ph.D. at Cambridge University under the guidance of the renowned statistician Sir Ronald Fisher, Dr. Rao returned to ISI so he could help develop the field of statistics in a newly independent India. In over 40 years at ISI, he developed a rich community of scholars. Dr. Rao’s successful leadership inspired curiosity from colleagues around the world. He regularly welcomed visitors to Kolkata who wished to see firsthand his ability to spot talent and inspire young scholars to advance the fields of pure and applied mathematics, biology, genetics, economics, and other social sciences.

“At age 60 Dr. Rao moved to the United States to help establish at research center at the University of Pittsburgh and to continue his love of scholarship and teaching. But Dr. Rao never lost his commitment to Indian scholarship. He later founded the C.R. Rao Advanced Institute of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science at the University of Hyderabad, to further ensure that aspiring statisticians and mathematicians could receive a world-class education in India. In both the United States and India, Dr. Rao has advised the research of over 50 Ph.D. candidates and many former students have carried Dr. Rao’s influence into prominent roles in academia and government.

“While pursuing his impressive work, Dr. Rao remained a devoted husband and father throughout his life. His beloved wife, C. Bhargavi, remained with him for 69 years of marriage before her passing in 2017. She provided a constant source of support. Dr. Rao is now 102 years old and lives with his daughter in Amherst, NY. With the support of his daughter, Dr. Rao remains involved in the research community to this day.

“Mr. Speaker, I extend my deepest congratulations to Dr. Rao for being awarded the prestigious International Prize in Statistics. His dedication to advancing our understanding of mathematics is equal to none, both in his own work and through the countless former students who carry on his legacy.”