Dr. Malla Bhaskara Rao
HOD & Senior Consultant – Department of Neurosurgery, Ramaiah Institute of Neurosciences
MBBS, DNB (Neurosurgery), FRCS (Neurosurgery), GMHE (Healthcare Management)

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.

• Professor & Head, Department of Neurosurgery, MS Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru
• Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon, MS Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, Bengaluru
• Former Professor & Head, Department of Neurosurgery, NIMHANS, Bengaluru
• Former Professor (Addl), SCTIMST, Thiruvananthapuram

• Brain & Spine Tumours, AVM & Aneurysms, Endoscopy and Epilepsy Surgery

• Consultant Neurosurgeon with over 33 years of experience
• Underwent primary neurosurgical training under Dr.B.Ramamurthi, Chennai
• Served two institutions of National Importance (SCTIMST & NIMHANS) for over
  two decades
• Initiated epilepsy surgery at SCTIMST along with Dr.K.Radhakrishnan in 1995
• Performed over ten thousand major neurosurgical procedures including one
  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, AES, AANS, AASSFN and WSSFN Executive member
  of various professional organizations in India and abroad
• President -Indian Epilepsy Society (2025-2027)
• Past President, Indian Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (ISSFN)
• Past Continental Vice-President, World Society for Stereotactic and
  Functional Neurosurgery Member, Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
  Committee, WFNS & MSSFN
• Member, Epilepsy Surgery in Resource Poor Regions Task Force,
  Surgery Commission, ILAE (21-25)
• Principal/Co-Principal investigator of ten extramural funded projects.
• Research Grants – SATYAM, DST & DBT-Wellcome Trust, SERB, DRDO
• Google Scholar – Citations- 1061, h-index-18, i10-index-30 (December 31, 2025)
• Reviewer for several national and international journals and guest editor for
  the Neurology India as well as the Annals of the Indian Academy of Neurology
  supplements
• Awards – Young investigator award, International League against Epilepsy 1999
• Senior Research Scholar Award, University of Melbourne, Australia 2000
• Commonwealth Fellowship Award, Association of Commonwealth Universities,
  London, UK, 2001 FRCS, Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2013