Padiki Nagaraja Rao MD

Dr. Padiki Nagaraja Rao (Dr. Rao) passed away surrounded by his loved ones on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. He was eighty years old, just a month shy of his 81st birthday. Born in Bellary, India, Dr. Rao practised medicine for fifty years in the United States, the United Kingdom, and India. For the past eight years, he called the DC area his home and spent most of his time with his wife and his second son’s family.

He was a retired board-certified Physician who held several degrees and certifications, including MD, MBBS, FACA, FICA, DAC, FAA, PM&R, and D-PM. Dr. Rao was also a devoted Brahmin, dedicating his life to helping others through medicine, instruction in Vedanta philosophy, and the practice of yoga. His experience in philosophy included serving as President of Sri Shankara Krupa, a Vedantic society in Bengaluru, and giving lectures at the society.

His many years in Brooklyn, New York were spent as the Director of Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy at Unity Hospital, the Director of the Artificial Limb and Brace Center at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, the Clinical Instructor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at Cumberland Hospital, Director of PM&R at Green Point Hospital, Chief Physician in Charge at Interfaith Hospital, and Director of PM&R at Woodhull Hospital. Eventually, he returned to India at the special invitation of the Indian Government to run the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital’s Accident and Rehabilitation Center in Bangalore. He continued teaching and working as a professor of PM&R, while presiding as the head of the department. He is a fellow of the American College of Angiology and the International College of Angiology, and is American Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Dr. Rao was also a prolific author, having written extensively on Medical and Philosophical topics. Some of his published books include Upanishad Bhagavad Gita Tiralu (2000), Vedantada Belakinalli Patanjali Yoga Sutras (2002), Vedantha Padyagalu (2003), Knowing the Unknown (2009), Medicine for Yoga Therapists (2011), Philosophy@24 (2012), Marana Mathu Thadananthra (2013), Aaathmagnanakke Purva Siddathe (2015), and Science and Philosophy (2019).

Everyone who met Dr. Rao was better off for the experience, no matter how brief the encounter was. He had a warm smile and a ready hand to help anyone in need. He always made it a point to give to anyone who asked, and he never held a grudge against anyone. One of the first things he did when he began working in the USA was to send money back home to help his parents and siblings. As his career reached great heights in the 1960s and 1970s, he remained humble, describing himself as a perpetual student. His impact on the community was profound, from his pioneering work in physical medicine and rehabilitation to his advocacy for research into Parkinson's disease.

Among his family and close colleagues, he had a reputation for being brilliantly witty; you could often find him chuckling over a new observation with his family. However, his insightful humor was always laced with kindness. He delighted in joke books and testing his knowledge of the quotidian with game show trivia. His personal qualities of empathy and humor not only endeared him to those around him but also influenced his professional life, making him a compassionate and understanding physician.

Ever the student, his insatiable mind continued to absorb and discover ways to communicate, despite the advanced Parkinson’s that troubled his final years. He was an explorer until the end, and a pioneer of new ways to treat Parkinson’s disease, as he endured it. He pioneered new approaches to thinking about the disease and advocated for innovative methods to manage symptoms without invasive techniques.

Dr. Rao will be sadly missed by his beloved wife (Dr. Prabhavathi Madhiraju Rao), his three sons (Goutham, Vijai, and Venu), his daughters-in-law, and eight grandkids. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support we have received during this difficult time. Dr. Rao's memory will forever be cherished, and his legacy will continue to inspire us.

Please click the link below to view Dr. Rao's memorial website. https://www.drpnrao.com