The honour was presented to Rao, who is the Chairman of Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, at a function in Trieste, Italy.
The Prize, instituted by the Academy of Sciences of the Developing World, carries a cash component of 100,000 dollars, a medal and a citation.
It seeks to honour distinguished scientists from developing countries. The Trieste Town Council and the Trieste International Foundation for Scientific Progress and Freedom are collaborating in this effort.
Rao, 77, is the founder of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) in Bangalore. He has 1,500 research papers and is an author of 45 books.
Rao also received the Firodia Lifetime Achievement Award a few days ago.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks