Dr. Malla Bhaskara Rao

Department

Neurosurgery

Designation

HOD & Senior Consultant

Education

MBBS , DNB (Neurosurgery), FRCS (Neurosurgery), GHME (Healthcare Management)

Experience

32 Years Experience

Speciality

Neurosurgery

Language Known

English, Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil

About Dr. Malla Bhaskara Rao

Dr. Rao brings over 32 years of clinical excellence and leadership, previously serving as Professor and Head of Neurosurgery at NIMHANS. Renowned for his pioneering work in epilepsy and functional neurosurgery, he will expand access to advanced interventions for drug-resistant epilepsy, complex brain conditions, and intricate spine and vascular surgeries. His expertise includes epilepsy surgery, functional neurosurgery, brain and spine tumor management, and micro-neurosurgical treatment of aneurysms and AVMs.

Beyond surgery, Dr. Rao is a visionary leader, currently serving as President of the Indian Epilepsy Society (2025–2027). His patient-centric, technology-driven approach ensures world-class outcomes for all patients.

His joining further strengthens our Department of Neurosurgery and reinforces Ramaiah Memorial Hospital’s commitment to delivering advanced, high-quality neurosurgical care.

Area of Expertise

Professor & Head, Department of Neurosurgery, MS Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore.

Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon, MS Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, Bangalore.

Former Professor & Head, Department of Neurosurgery, NIMHANS, Bangalore.

Former Professor (Addl.), SCTIMST, Thiruvananthapuram.

Awards & Achievements

Brain & Spine Tumors, AVM & Aneurysms, Endoscopy and Epilepsy Surgery

Membership & Scientific Committee Roles

Consultant Neurosurgeon with over 32 years of experience.

Underwent primary neurosurgical training under Dr. B. Ramamurthi, Chennai.

Served two institutions of National Importance SCTIMST and NIMHANS for over two decades.

Initiated epilepsy surgery at SCTIMST along with Dr. K. Radhakrishnan in 1996.

Performed over ten thousand major neurosurgical procedures including a thousand epilepsy surgery procedures.

Trained over one hundred neurosurgery residents at SCTIMST & NIMHANS since 1993.

Examiner at various Universities and the National Board of Examinations.

Visiting Professor at various universities in India and abroad.

Invited speaker at NSI, CNS, AANS, ACNS and WSSFN Executive member of various professional organizations in India and abroad.

President – Indian Epilepsy Society (2015–2017).

Past President, Indian Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (ISSFN).

Past Chairman – Vice-President, World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery Member, World & Asian Epilepsy Congress.

Member, Epilepsy Surgery Commission, Asian Epilepsy Surgery Task Force.

Principal Co-Principal investigator of extramural funded projects.

Research Grants – DST, ICMR, DBT & other Multicenter Trials, SCTIMST, 2000.

Google Scholar – Citations: 1043, h-index: 16, i10-index: 20 (December 31, 2023).

Reviewer for several national and international journals and guided over 40 neurology thesis as well as American thesis in Anatomy & Neurology departments.

Awards – Young investigator award, International League against Epilepsy 1998.

Senior Research Scientist Award, University of Melbourne, Australia 2000.

Commonwealth Fellowship Award, Association of Commonwealth Universities, London, UK; ICMR; Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2003.