Dr. G V. V. Rao's Obituary
Dr. G.V.V. Rao (Gadepalli Venkata Vishweswar Rao), 84, of Ashburn, Virginia, joined with the Divine on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
Born on November 27, 1940, in Gunupur, Odisha, India, he was the son of the late Venkateswarlu Gadepalli and the late Suryakantham Gadepalli.
Affectionately known as “Rao Uncle” within his community, he was the center of spiritual, civic, and family life for countless people. Guided by his ethos of servant leadership, Dr. Rao dedicated his life to uplifting others by providing spiritual guidance, fostering interfaith understanding, and nurturing the next generation with values of integrity, compassion, and human excellence.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Suryakumari; his children, Sarada, Uma, Prithvi, Vishwanath, and Radhika; and his grandchildren, Siddharth, Shanthi, Kiran, and Shivani. To his family and community alike, he was a true father figure, offering wisdom, love, and unwavering support.
He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering from Andhra University, India, and a Ph.D. in Water Resources Engineering from Montana State University. His distinguished career included service at the World Bank, the United Nations, and the Asian Development Bank, where he worked tirelessly to improve global infrastructure and development across four continents and forty countries.
Beyond his professional achievements, he dedicated his life to community service. Early on, he was the President of his local Toastmasters International chapter, a lifetime member of the NAACP and the Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington.
In 1989, driven by his passion for character development and spiritual growth in youth, Rao Uncle founded Balavikas of Fairfax, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting spiritual values and education for children in Northern Virginia. Through its annual Youth Day Competitions, Ganesh Puja, and Saraswati Puja, Balavikas has been a pillar of Indian Hindu culture and heritage for decades. He also launched the PROCEED Project (Professional College Entrance Education and Development), mentoring low-income students in India to pursue higher education.
As a devoted initiated disciple of the Ramakrishna Mission, Rao Uncle established the Virtual Classroom Project in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, connecting rural schoolchildren with expert teachers in English, Math, Science, Sanskrit, and Yoga. He also partnered with the Ramakrishna Mission to support an institute for spastic children and sponsored four-year scholarships for school and college students. In recognition of his lifelong commitment to education, his alma mater, Andhra University, created the Dr. G.V.V. Rao Young Engineer Dreamer Awards.
Even in his absence, Rao Uncle is a true inspiration for us all – teaching us to always serve others, and maintain cultural and spiritual values.
A visitation will be held on Monday, September 15, 2025, from 10:00–11:30 a.m. at Loudoun Funeral Chapel, followed by Hindu funeral service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Balalvikas of Fairfax (www.balavikas.org) in honor of Rao Uncle.
Condolences may be shared with the family at www.LoudounFuneralChapel.com.
Carpooling is recommended as parking is limited.
parking options:
- Loudoun Funeral Chapel, 158 Catoctin Cir. SE Leesburg, VA 20175
-All of South Street (next to funeral home) - Gravel lots behind Burke and Herbert Bank, 204 Catoctin Cir SE, Leesburg, VA 20175
- outside parking lot of Burk and Herbert Bank, DO NOT PARK IN FRONT OF WHITE PILLARS
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