The Andhra University on Wednesday introduced an annual gold medal in the memory of former Professor of Chemistry, T. Siva Rao, who passed away last year, remembering his contribution to teaching and research in the Department of Chemistry.

The medal will be awarded every year to the student securing first rank in the two-year M.Sc. Chemistry programme.

As part of the initiative, Siva Rao’s family members, his wife R. Kalavati and son T. Hari Kaushik, handed over a cheque for ₹3 lakh to Vice-Chancellor G.P. Raja Sekhar and Registrar K. Rambabu.

Siva Rao guided nearly 50 research scholars to Ph.D. Degrees and contributed to the publication of several research papers in reputed journals. He also served the university in various capacities, including Director of the School of Chemistry, Training and Placement Officer, Assistant Principal and Deputy Warden.

University officials said he played a key role in strengthening laboratory infrastructure under the Department of Science and Technology’s Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (DST-FIST) scheme and in promoting research among students through the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) project.