Production and Operation Society (POMS) and Indian School of Business (ISB) recently organised in Hyderabad, the POMS international conference which brought together the best minds from industry and academia to discuss the "Supply Chain Challenges in the Emerging Economies". Professor M R Rao, Dean Emeritus, Indian School of Business was felicitated for a life time contribution to operations research management and math programming on the eve of the POMS international conference.

Speaking about his contribution to the ISB, Ajit Rangnekar, Dean, ISB said, “We are very proud that MR joined us as the Dean. In 2004, when  he came to ISB when we had  around four or five faculty members and today we have a fifty member strong high quality resident faculty pool  and this is all due to his efforts. As a distinguished researcher, he was instrumental in getting credibility for a young school like ours amongst the international as well as the Indian academic community which was an immense step forward for the ISB.”

Accepting the honour, Professor MR Rao said that he was glad to have joined the ISB as its research focus fitted very well with his passion for research. He added that the School was unique and that it would not be easy to replicate its success. He also expressed his belief that the School will continue to be a great world class institution.

Sunil Chopra, Distinguished Professor of Operations Management, Kellogg School of Management said. “Working with MR is really a great fortune and I learned a lot from him which helped me to start my career. He brought in a calming and collaborative influence when he came to work with us at NYU and that had a very positive effect on all of us.”

Professor M R Rao has always been acclaimed as a distinguished researcher by the global academic fraternity and this was an opportunity to hear from his colleagues and distinguished speakers about their association with Professor Rao over the years.