The family of Wing Cdr. Venkat Rao Pindiprolu is proud to honor him with this tribute on display at one of his most favorite venues -- The National Air & Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

Venkat was born in 1937 in Kakinada, India. He earned his Bachelor's degree from Kakinada Engineering College, followed by a Master of Technology degree from the renowned Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India. He earned a second Master's degree in the United Kingdom from the Cranfield Institute of Technology in Electrical & Control Engineering. He served, with distinction, in the Indian Air Force for 22 years, retiring at the rank of Wing Commander.

Venkat immigrated to the United States in 1983 to pursue a second career for himself and new opportunities for his family. Focused on public service, Venkat served at the state and federal levels. He worked for the Maryland Transit Administration as a manager for systems engineering. He then joined the Federal Transit Administration in 1992 where he ultimately worked as team leader in the Office of Mobility Innovation until he retired at age 75. He served on many expert panels for organizations including the Transportation Research Board, National Science Foundation, DARPA, NIST and the IEEE Standards Committee. Venkat approached all pursuits with dedication and delivered excellence ?€“ a true role model.

Venkat's love of science and engineering shone through in all aspects of his life - from his professional accomplishments, to helping his children with their homework often deriving everything from the Pythagorean theorem, to delivering impromptu lectures on the workings of a turbo engine at the Air and Space Museum! As such it is fitting that with this memorial, we honor Venkat ?€“ a loving husband, father, grandfather, and faithful friend. A pioneer and inspiration for so many.