Hyderabad: Late Dr A S Rao garu (Padma Vibhushan Ayyagari Sambasiva Rao)was given responsibility in late 1960s  by Smt Indira Gandhi ,with full powers to set up a  electronics unit to overcome the ban on Indian Atomic power plants by US and Europe,who stopped supplies of Atomic power controls, Computers,and Nuclear fuels. 

Sri AS Rao Garu started ECIL from ground levels and made it world class defence/Atomic  electronics producing Unit .

Late Sri Kondal Rao Garu was given NFC(Nuclear Fuel Complex, Hyderabad) Unit to construct and to be chairman till retirement..

Both units are very nearby.

Both  AS Rao,and Sri Kondal Rao were close relatives. Both highly qualified Nuclear scientists from Trambay Atomic Power Plant   and core honest, purely duty minded..

Both were given minister's quarters at Begumpet to stay comfortable and A.C cars  to shuttle to units while   first stone was laid for construction of ECIL and NFC. 

Within two months  both of them  shifted to Nacharam and built their own houses with no drinking water /No Transport/and  highly polluted ground water , back side RR labs( Now IICT/CCMB) to be near to construction sites(ECIL/NFC)  ,sacrificing all comforts at Minister's quarters /Dilkush  VIP Guest Houses. 

Both retired as Chairmen of ECIL and NFC and died peacefully without  publicity at small Snehapuri Colony where I too stay since 1979.

They were given comfortable AC cars as Chairmen and Indira Gandhi gave them full powers to incur any expenditure..  

They were going to ECIL/NFC in their respective company buses along with workers, and returning from units by Company Bus only .  They got immense love and goodwill from all workers during their tenure, and India became self sufficient in Nuclear Fuels ,and power control Electronics for  Nuclear power stations and Nuclear Arms.

My father once asked  Sri AS Rao Garu who was also  president of our colony association ," You are CMD of such a powerful Public sector unit and, don't have a company car ". 

His reply was" Yes, I have a big  company AC car  that has  to be used only during on duty.When I walk out of office in the evening I don't have a right to use it"..

He lived for 20 years after retirement ,but many persons in our colony didn't know that He was AS Rao and a colony near ECIL is named after him.,

 On the day of his death hundreds of VIPs  came  to pay homage, and residents were surprised to know that a 6.4 feet  tall  ,white dress, gray hair gentleman who was  going for a walk  till a day before,was  none other than Sri AS Rao World renounced Nuclear Scientist.

Sri Kondal Rao founder, Chairman NFC also died a  a few years later in his own house .

"No visitors please" board on gate  was seen for more than 45 years  till recently at the house of Sri AS Rao.

Now his house was dismantled and a complex is built. Hope the central and state governments will announce  a book prize for upcoming scientists in the field of electronics as a mark of respect to this great man.

Contribution: 
P.V.Rama Mohan Naidu.
Sr.Jounalist,  Hyderabad.