Dr. S. R. Rao was Senior Adviser, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. He completed his Ph.D. in Mycology and Plant Pathology from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. He was Post Doctoral Fellow at Tottori University, Japan and visiting Scientist at Waite Agricultural Experimental Station, Australia. He served as an active member in establishing several technologies and schemes; oil palm cultivation, several sophisticated biotech infrastructure facilities, forging bilateral collaboration with Asian and European countries, introduction of Golden rice, formulation of National Biotech policies, strategic planning and investment matters. He also initiated several programmes on public health access in villages through public private partnerships, interventions in judiciary reforms, technology assessment of bioenergy and biofuel resources and various issues of public policy interface. He is serving as member of several Technical Committees of the Government of India; Academic /research councils of Universities/institutions; member-Golden rice Humanitarian Board; Elected Member-Asia Steering Advisory Committee on Capacity Building of Cartagena protocol Secretariat, Convention of Biodiversity Montreal; Member, Liaison Group on Capacity Building of Protocol. He is also coordinator for the establishment of National Biotechnology Regulatory Authority and new biotechnology regulatory Bill. He specializes in core and cross-sectorial policy issues of Biotechnology development, regulation, safety, public private partnership, international relations and biotech R&D Innovation and Development, and public concerns and consensus building; He is founder and editorial board member of Asian Biotechnology Development Review. He has published 30 research papers in national/international high impact Journals in his specialized expertise of Molecular Pathology.