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Bhaskar Rao Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 28, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth24 May 1964

Age58 Years

BirthplaceChennai

ProfessionFormer IPS officer, Politician

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseChandrika Pani Rao

FamilyHas a son and a daughter; parents Modiyam Ganga Raju and Naga Ratnam

Bhaskar Rao Biography

Bhaskar Rao is an Indian former IPS officer turned politician from Karnataka. A career police officer of the 1990 Karnataka cadre, he served in senior law‑

Early life and background

Bhaskar Rao was born on 24 May 1964 in Chennai and grew up in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru. He completed schooling at Sri Kumaran Children’s Home in Jayanagar and Notre Dame Academy in Patna. For higher education he attended St. Joseph’s Arts & Science College in Chennai and National College in Jayanagar, Bengaluru, where he studied a pre‑university course and later completed a degree covering psychology, economics and sociology. He went on to earn a Master of Arts in economics from Bengaluru University. During his college years he was a cadet in the National Cadet Corps.

Career

Rao joined the Indian Police Service in 1990 as part of the Karnataka cadre and built a multi‑decade career across policing and related public administration roles. Early postings included assistant superintendent of police in Davanagere and Shivamoga, and deputy commissioner of police in the Hubli‑Dharwad area. He subsequently served as superintendent of police in Madikeri (Kodagu district) and, later, took an international policing assignment as superintendent of police with United Nations peacekeeping in Yugoslavia.

Within Karnataka state service he held a variety of operational and administrative roles. He served as managing director of the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited, deputy commissioner of police in Bengaluru, director of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and as a board member of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation. He was commissioner of police in Mysuru and later commissioner of transport and road safety in Bengaluru, with additional membership roles on bodies such as the State Transport Authority and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board.

Rao’s career continued through senior leadership positions in the state police. He was appointed inspector general of police in Bengaluru in 2011, overseeing areas including coastal security, industrial security, anti‑Naxal operations, railway security and police training. In 2014 he became the first commissioner of police for Belgaum City. From 2015 onward he served as additional director general of police in Bengaluru with responsibilities that included state criminal records, IT, civil rights enforcement, crimes, technical services, the forensic laboratory and the canine squad. In August 2019 he took charge as commissioner of police for Bengaluru City Police. In 2021 he served as additional director general of police for railways.

Rao’s service has been recognised with honours: in 2000 he received a United Nations medal for international peacekeeping service, in 2008 he was awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious Service and in 2015 he received the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.

Public profile

Outside routine policing duties Rao has been active in community engagement and public outreach. He led and participated in long‑distance cycling and running events, including marathons and organised rides to promote cycling and public causes. Notable events include the 2008 Tour of Nilgiris, an eight‑day 900 km cycling tour to promote cycles as a mode of transport, and the 2017 Karnataka Darshan cycling event supporting the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, in which he led a group of police personnel on a multi‑day ride to promote sanitation and environmental awareness.

In 2020 Rao delivered a TEDx talk on the importance of community relationships. During the COVID‑19 pandemic he collaborated on a music video project to acknowledge volunteers and helpers; the video included other public figures and state leaders. He has also taken on local environmental initiatives such as organising sapling plantations within police battalion premises.

Political activity and recent developments

After a long police career, Rao entered electoral politics. He joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2022 and remained with the party for roughly eleven months. In March 2023 he left AAP and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In public comments explaining his departure from AAP he criticized the party’s internal functioning and described differences over organizational culture.

Latest updates

As of 2023 Rao is affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party following his departure from AAP. He continues to be publicly associated with civic‑oriented activities such as fitness events, environmental drives and community outreach.
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Recent Work

Joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

Left Aam Aadmi Party after 11 months and joined BJP in March 2023.

2023
Commissioner of Bengaluru City Police

Served as commissioner of police for Bengaluru starting in August 2019.

2019
ADGP for Railways

Served as additional director general of police for railways in 2021.

2021
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Career Highlights

  1. Joined the Indian Police Service in 1990 (Karnataka cadre)
  2. Served as commissioner of Bengaluru City Police (from August 2019)
  3. Held senior state policing roles including IG and ADGP in Bengaluru
  4. Served as superintendent of police with United Nations peacekeeping in Yugoslavia
  5. Received UN peacekeeping medal (2000), Police Medal for Meritorious Service (2008) and President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service (2015)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Bhaskar Rao born?

24 May 1964

What is Bhaskar Rao known for?

Former IPS officer, Politician

What is Bhaskar Rao’s marital status?

Married

Who is Bhaskar Rao married to?

Chandrika Pani Rao