Prabhakara Satyavolu Rao's Obituary
The family of Prabhakara Satyavolu Rao is deeply saddened to announce his passing on June 5, 2025 at age 84. He is survived by Saila, his loving wife of nearly 52 years, his sister Jayalakshmi and his brother Balasubrahmanyam and their spouses and children, as well as other family members in India.
Prabhakar (Sanskrit meaning: The one who creates light) was born in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India, to Hymavathy Tatavarthy (mother) and Sreemamurthy Satyavolu (father). As a preschooler being reared in Bombay, he learned the alphabets for Telugu, his mother tongue, and English from his mother, who also taught him simple arithmetic. From the balcony of his parents' apartment, he loved to watch the suburban trains go by, while savoring muruku and other snacks his mother made.
Moving to Madras, now Chennai, with his parents at age 6, Prabhakar started elementary school and quickly adapted to the culture and language change to Tamil, which he picked up from his playmates in the Bombay suburb of Matunga. He attended Hindu High School in Mylapore, Chennai, where he excelled in science. His early aptitude for science subjects developed into a strong interest in chemistry, steering him to Loyola College, Chennai, where he graduated with a https://B.Sc. Honors degree. After a stint as a junior scientist at the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) in Pune, India, he obtained his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Madras with specialization in polymeric materials.
In 1969, Prabhakar's passion for scientific research prompted him to expand his horizons as a post-doctoral fellow at academic institutions in the United States.
Transitioning to a career path in the corporate world, he led research projects at Halliburton Services, Glidden corporation and 3M Company in St. Paul, Minnesota, where his technical inventions secured 60 patents. In a career spanning nearly 50 years, Praabhakar guided doctoral students at NCL and motivated youngsters around him to realize their potential and actualize their aspirations. Following his retirement in the year 2012, he continued to keep abreast of the latest developments in his field.
In the year 2016, Prabhakar and Saila moved from the cold climes of Minnesota to Wesley Chapel, FL, and settled into a relaxed pace of life and made several friends in the community.
Although billed as a materials scientist in his profession, Prabhakar exhibited a temperament far removed from the materialistic values of the mundane world. With his warm-hearted personality, nonjudgmental demeanor, unpretentious nature and generous disposition, he carved out a niche for himself in the hearts and minds of his family and friends and elicited respect from his peers.
A devoted son, a loving husband, nurturing older brother, affectionate uncle and loyal friend Prabhakar will live in our hearts and minds forever. For Saila, he was her anchor in life. friend, philosopher and guide -- now become a memory that is a timeless treasure.
Om Shanthi !
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