Dr. Vasanti Rao

Dr. Vasanti Rao is a distinguished scholar, visionary leader, and tireless advocate at the intersection of media, sustainability, and policy. With over 32 years of professional experience, she has pioneered communication strategies that blend research, advocacy, and storytelling to catalyze social and environmental transformation across India and South Asia.

As the Founder and Director General of the Centre for Media Studies (CMS)—a premier interdisciplinary think tank—Dr. Rao has led groundbreaking initiatives in media research, public policy evaluation, environmental advocacy, and social communication. She began her journey with CMS as a founding member in 1991 and rose through the ranks to become its Director General in 2012. Under her stewardship, CMS has expanded from a media-focused institution into a thought leader on sustainability, governance, gender, and child rights.

​Dr. Rao is the creative force behind CMS VATAVARAN, Asia’s largest and most impactful environmental film festival and forum, launched in 2001. With a unique vision of harnessing cinema as a tool for climate action and ecological education, she has successfully brought together filmmakers, policy makers, civil society, and youth to foster dialogue and inspire collective environmental stewardship.