Prof. D.N.Rao started his academic career in civil engineering at Osmania University, Hyderabad in    1983, and further completed his Masters in business in IIM, Kolkata. His staunch devotion to perfection as a young professional in a draught affected district in odisha shaped him to become the Addl. Director (Projects), DRDA, Kalahandi within few months of his tenure. Since then he has worked in length and breadth of Orissa with the government, NGOs like Gram Vikas and institutions like XIM Bhubaneswar. He worked as a Faculty & coordinator at Xavier Institute of Management from 1996 to 2005.Later he left XIMB in 2005, to co-found the Centurion Group of Institutes, which have their base in the naxal infested South Orissa. In his present position, he is the Vice President and Co-founder of Centurion University, Odisha and Gram Tarang group of companies. He was one of the Project Directors of Privatization  project in rural power distribution which was implemented in 4500 villages in Orissa (in some of the most under developed areas of the State) and 4500 panchayats of Karnataka. He has attended numerous training programs on building enterprise, business indicators, project planning, monitoring & evaluation in different parts of the world. Being the Vice President of the University, Prof. Rao has the focus in revitalizing the academic core in terms of the faculty and the student body by guarding standards and freedom; and serving as an advocate for academic integrity and excellence.