UNISPACE-III Conference. He was elected as the Chairman of the 30th International Antarctic Treaty Consultative Committee Meeting at Delhi in April 2007. He was the Co-Chairman of the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Goa. He was the first chairman of Prasar Bharati. Rao was the Fourth President of the Governing Body of the Centre for Space Physics in 2007. While the President, he changed its name to Indian Centre for Space Physics in recognition to its National importance. Other positions held by Rao in India include : Chairman, Karnataka Science and Technology Academy Chairman, Bangalore Association of Science Education-JNP Chancellor, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow Member, Central Board of Directors, Reserve Bank of India Additional Director, Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Ltd., Bangalore Chairman, Governing Council of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune Awards He was the recipient of many national and international awards, such as : National Awards 1975 Karnataka Rajyotsava Award 1975 Hari Om Vikram Sarabhai Award 1975 Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in the Space science & technology field 1976 Padma Bhushan 1980 National Design Award 1980 Vasvik Research Award in the Electronic Sciences & Technology field 1983 Karnataka Rajyotsava Award 1987 PC Mahalnobis Medal 1993 Om Prakash Bhasin Award in the Energy & Aerospace field 1993 Meghnad Saha Medal 1994 P.C. Chandra Puraskar Award 1994 Electronics Man of the Year Award by ELCINA 1995 Zaheer Hussain Memorial Award 1995 Aryabhata Award 1995 Jawaharhal Nehru Award 1996 SK Mitra Birth Centenary Gold Medal 1997 Yudhvir Foundation Award 1997 Rabindranath Tagore Award of Viswa Bharati University 1999 Gujar Mal Modi Award for Science & Technology 2001 Nadoja Award from Kannada University, Hampi 2001 Life Time Contribution Award in Engineering of INAE 2002 Sir M. Visvesvaraya Memorial Award 2003 Press Bureau of India Award 2004 Star of India Award from Vishwabharathy Foundation, Hyderabad 2004 Special Award 2004, Karnataka Media Academy 2005 Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi Outstanding Leadership Award 2007 Life Time Achievement Award of Indian Space Research Organisation 2007 Distinguished Scientist Gold Medal of the Karnataka Science & Technology Academy. 2007 Vishwamanava Award by Vishwamanava Samsthe 2007 A.V. Rama Rao Technology Award 2008 Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award for 2007-2008 from ISCA 2017 Padma Vibhushan International Awards 1973 Group Achievement Award by NASA, USA 1975 Medal of Honour by Academy of Sciences, USSR 1991 Yuri Gagarin Medal of USSR 1992 Allan D Emil Award on International Cooperation