Eleswarapu Chinna Subbarao received BSc (Glass Technology) (1949) from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), BS (1952) and MS (1954) degrees in Ceramic Engineering from the University of Washington, Seattle; and PhD (Ceramic Technology) (1957) from the Pennsylvania State University. His doctoral thesis pioneered work on domain effects in ferroelectric ceramic barium titanate. He worked at Westinghouse Research Laboratories, Pittsburgh, PA (1956-63). In 1963, he joined IIT Kanpur, worked there as first Head of Metallurgical Engineering Department.; then as Founder-Director, Tata Research Development and Design Centre, Tata Consultancy Services, Pune (1981- 1999)  and as Chief Consulting Advisor (Research) at TRDDC (1999- till date) 

Academic and Research Achievements: Subbarao made fundamental contributions to the fields of ferroelectrics, zirconia ceramics, and rare earth cobalt magnetic materials. His discovery of ferroelectricity in a family of layered bismuth compounds opened new vistas in random access memories and materials with exceptionally high Curie temperatures. The identification of a martensitic type of transformation in an oxide system (zirconia) was the first of its kind. Superionic conductivity in the zirconia and tungsten bronze systems had impacted solid electrolyte fuel cells and sodium-sulphur batteries. During his stay at the Tata Research Development and Design Centre many industrial problems in information technology, materials processing, and green energy were solved to produce cost-effective, implementable, sound results to the delight of all stake holders (clients, TCS and researchers). He authored/edited nine books and published over 150 papers.

Other Contributions: Subbarao organized the first conference on Materials Science Education in India (1966) and established an interdisciplinary postgraduate programme in materials science at IIT Kanpur, also an Advanced Center of Materials Science, thus ushering in material science education and research in India. He was the first Dean of Faculty at IIT Kanpur and played a pivotal role in assembling world-class faculty at the IIT. He served on the Editorial boards of many national and international journals. He also served as Member, INSA Council (1982-84).