Mr. M. Vishnuvardhana Rao is an IPS officer from the 1987 batch, allocated to Bihar cadre, later to Jharkhand after the reorganisation of Bihar. Originally hailing from Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, he holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the Regional Engineering College, Warangal (now NIT Warangal).

He served in various capacities in several districts of Bihar and Jharkhand. He also worked in Central Reserve Police Force as IG of Jharkhand, Southern and Northern Sectors. He held the position of Director General of Police, Jharkhand. As DGP, he emphasized improving public trust in policing, a focus on child safety, women, and senior citizens, and promised strict action against any instances of corruption within the force.

In May 2022, he was appointed Administrator of the NRI Academy of Sciences at Chinakakani, Andhra Pradesh and assumed charge on 16 May 2022, acting as the sole Administrator and authorized signatory. He headed the NRIAS till April 2026, where he built a strong rule-based administrative structure.