Prof. K. L. K. Rao served at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore from 4 December 1975 to 30 June 1986 as Professor of Marketing, later assuming leadership roles as Chairman, Placement, Chairman, Management Development Programmes (MDPs), and Dean (Programmes). His academic interests spanned Marketing, International Business, Industrial Marketing, Rural Marketing, Public Sector Management, and International Trade.

During his tenure, Prof. Rao contributed significantly to the development of executive education, expanding MDP and Organisation-Based Programme (OBP) activities and strengthening industry engagement. He introduced and promoted courses in Product Management, Industrial Marketing, and International Business, helping broaden IIMB’s academic offerings beyond traditional functional management education. He also played a key role in establishing placement systems for the Institute’s early PGP batches and successfully strengthened relationships with major public sector organisations.

A major institutional contribution was his conceptualization of the Centre for International Management (CIM), envisioned as a multidisciplinary centre for research, training, networking, and consultancy in international business. He secured support for international management initiatives and facilitated the establishment of endowed chairs in international business.

Beyond IIMB, Prof. Rao undertook extensive consultancy assignments with public enterprises, development agencies, and international organisations, including UNDP, UNCTAD, UNIDO, and ASTRO. His scholarly contributions include books and papers on international trade, public enterprises, countertrade, and global marketing. In his reflections, he emphasized the importance of public sector management education, internationalization, and the need for management education to engage more deeply with public policy and societal development.