Dr T. J. Rao Memorial Service - story 2 picDr T.J. Rao Memorial Service - story 2 pic

We have had the contribution of the Victorian Sikh community recognized by the Labor party in renaming the Berwick Springs lake to Guru Nanak Lake. We have also just had the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2025 celebrations where the Indian government has recognized the Indian diaspora heroes doing commendable work – not only making their adopted countries proud but also making India proud with their par excellence contributions as ambassadors of soft Indian power, doing their duty as sons and daughters of mother India. In this context, there is a legitimate case for the Late Dr T. J. Rao MB, MS, FRACS, FACS, OAM (“Dr Rao”) to be duly recognized both by the local and the Indian governments. Dr Rao’s service to the Indian government as its Honorary Consul General and his contribution to the Australian Indian community is beyond question and begs for recognition.

A qualified surgeon from Madras Medical School, Dr Rao came to Australia with only $4.50. His skills and dedication soon helped him find his feet in the new country. He excelled at his surgical work and was one of the pioneers globally in obesity or bariatric surgery. Whilst it is not common practice to operate on family or friends, many people within the Indian community in Melbourne had so much trust in his surgical skills that they only wanted him to operate on them if the need arose. In recognition of his surgical prowess, he was awarded a Fellowship to both the Royal Australian College of Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons.

Dr Rao’s passion for community service made him stand far above his peers. While the community did not have a formal platform to offer help to the aggrieved victims or the needy (in the Victorian Indian community), unofficially and informally, people started knocking at his door, any time they needed help. On many occasions, victims of domestic violence would contact him in the middle of the night and find a safe refuge in his home before he contacted the relevant / appropriate authorities to organize appropriate help.

Politicians from both sides of politics, Federal and State highly respected Dr Rao and he was one of the first awardees of the Order of Australia Medal in the Victorian / Australian Indian community.

“He would make time for anyone and go out of his way to help anyone who needed help. He often related to us how his father instilled in him that you must give and not expect anything in return, and that true happiness only comes from helping others”, Harish Rao, his son told Bharat Times.

Soon Dr Rao realized the community needed platforms to meets its social, cultural and religious needs. And he was instrumental in the establishment of the Celebrate Indian Inc. to start the Diwali Festival at Federation Square which has, with the able assistance of Mr Arun Sharma and Dr Virendra Berera. It has firmly placed the Victorian Indian community on Victoria’s religious, cultural, social and political map for posterities. As a result of the untiring team led by them and their influence within the higher echelons of the high and mighty, the festival has almost done two decades of celebrations and any worthy politician in the state anxiously wait for the invite to that esteemed event.

Dr Rao’s other major contribution to the Victorian Indian community is the establishment of –

  • the Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria (“FIAV”) to unite the diverse Indian communities in Victoria;
  • the Hindu Society of Victoria and the Shiva Vishnu Temple in Carrum Downs where he also made a significant financial contribution as part of the initial injection of funds; and
  • the Sai Baba Temple in Camberwell.

“My father lived his life by the Telegu saying MANAVA SEVA, MADHAVA SEVA which translates to “Service to humanity is service to god”. He was a man of extremely high principles, strong in his view of what was right and what was wrong but also one of the most compassionate individuals you will every come across”, Harish Rao describes his father’s living morals as.

Dr Rao also served as India’s Honorary Consul General for 24 years. He was appointed to that role in 1983 by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after he played a pivotal role as a bridge between the Australian and local Indian community during her visit to Australia to participate in the 6th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (“CHOGM”) in 1981. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, the community in Victoria grew many folds and although Dr Rao was given the assistance of a deputy by the Indian government appointing the Late Dr Martand Joshi as Honorary Deputy Vice Consul, Dr Rao was of the view that the Indian government should have its own Consulate in Victoria and vehemently lobbied for it. Dr Rao retired from the post in 2007.

Remembering Dr Rao, Uday Dhumatkar, a former friend and President of the FIAV told Bharat Times:

“I remember that Dr Rao opened the Indian Consulate in Coburg. He single handedly and with the help of dedicated staff, offered several services to help the Indian diaspora. They included visas , life certificates etc. Initially,  Dr Rao did not get any financial assistance from the Indian Government. He charged a nominal fee of $10/- per visa application. In one of our conversation,  Dr Rao explained to me that each visa application had to be faxed to the Indian High Commission in Canberra. They would do the background check on the applicant. This was time consuming. Only on the High Commissions approval, he could sign the visa documentation. Apart from his medical practice, he dedicated several hours to run the Consulate. After few years, his request for a deputy consul was approved and Dr  Martand Joshi was selected for the role. Apart from all these activities, he took the initiative to get the Indian community in Victoria under one umbrella. This led to the formation of the Federation of Indian associations of Victoria ( FIAV).

“His contribution to the welfare and unity of the Indian community can not be explained in words.”

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According to Harish Rao, ion his later years, Dr Rao donated over $400,000 towards student bursaries at the University of Melbourne and supported many charities back in India.

A proud Harish Rao says “whilst he was my father, I think I can safely say that there will not be many other people in Australia from the Indian community that gave so selflessely.”

Dr Rao indeed was noble soul, selfless to the core and a helping hand available 24/7 before the term was even invented.

Did Dr Rao feel any regret having been overlooked by the Indian government he so passionately served?

According to Harish Rao, he did.

“His one regret that he would convey to us in private is that whilst he was very thankful to the Australian Government who recognised his contribution to the community by awarding him an Order of Australia, the Indian Government which he served tirelessly for over 2 decades, using his own money, never acknowledged the contribution that he made – not even a letter of thank you on his retirement. This was one of his greatest disappointments that he confided in us”.

The community has exponentially grown in the last 15-17 years. Unaware, most of the newly arrived Indian migrants are enjoying the fruits of work done by the Indian community leaders led in many of the areas by Dr Rao.

“The new Indian migrants are not aware of Dr Rao’s contribution to the Indian diaspora. Dr Rao’s passing away, makes it urgent for the new arrivals to know the past”, Uday Dhumatkar told Bharat Times.

“It is fit and proper that the Indian Government as well as the Indian community should recognise Dr Rao’s efforts”. 

I believe it will only be appropriate for the Indian government to immediately honour Late Dr Rao to give comfort to his ageing wife Mrs Vimala Rao that his passionate work has been finally recognized. If PBD is the only forum to recognize the contributions of the Indian diaspora, then it is incumbent on the Victorian Indian community to ensure that Dr Rao is posthumously recognized with the highest honour at the PBD 2026.