The award is the US-based Materials Research Society's (MRS) highest honour.
It recognises "those qualities most prized by materials scientists and engineers -- brilliance and originality of intellect, combined with vision that transcends the boundaries of conventional scientific disciplines," according to the MRS.
The award citation noted Rao's immense work on novel functional materials, including nanomaterials (having particles of nanoscale dimensions), graphene (the strongest and thinnest material) and 2D materials, superconductivity, and colossal magnetoresistance (change in electrical resistance of a material in a magnetic field).
The award includes a cash prize, trophy and a diploma.
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