G M Rao's Profile

G M Rao is the Founder Chairman of GMR Group. An engineer turned industrialist, he began his business in 1978, with a single Jute Mill located in his hometown Rajam, Srikakulam district. Within a few years, he diversified his business interests into Sugar, Ferroalloys, Banking, IT and most significantly, Infrastructure. Today, GMR Group is a leading infrastructure development company with business verticals in Energy, Roads and Airports.

Inspired by a vision to build entrepreneurial organisations that make a difference to society through creation of value, G M Rao established GMR Varalakshmi Foundation – the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of GMR Group. The Foundation spearheads GMR Group’s initiatives in Education, Empowerment, Health and Hygiene. With the firm belief that education is a key enabler for progress, G M Rao established a degree college and three primary schools near Srikakulam. The success of these institutions paved the way for GMR Institute of Technology in 1997. Under G M Rao’s leadership, GMRIT has grown in reputation and merit, today, regarded among the best engineering institutes in India.