Born in 1930 in Tumkur, Karnataka. Hanumantha Rao moved to Bangalore soon after he married Ratna Bai. A businessman by profession, Photography became a hobby in 1947. He has covered wild animals, birds, insects. World renowned photographer, he is better known abroad than in India, his pictures have been published in over 1100 books and magazines like Life, National Geographic, Reader's Digest, Encyclopedia Brittanica. Won national and international awards prior to 1972 in contests, exhibitions and has been faculty member in wildlife photography workshops. Awards: Rajyotsava Award (1986). Environment Award (1983) by the State Govt. Kodak Award for photographic excellence (1987). Rao is member of World Wildlife Fund (Karnataka), Wildlife Preservation Society of India, Birdwatchers clubs and an honorary member of Corbett Society of Naturalists.

An outstanding figure in India and one of the very few who has won all the highest distinctions of three top international photographic bodies. A retired Senior Assistant Director in National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore, Rajagopal's success is not only a in creative photographer, but also in guiding and motivating other aspirants. Recognitions of his talent have been many, including the State's first Lalit Kala Academy honour 'Gourava Prashasthi' (1994), the 3, 4 and 5 Star merit awards and the Doscher award from Photographic Society of America (PSA). The first in India to be awarded the UNESCO's Photographic Federation's honour for excellence in photography, Rajagopal has also been associated with the PSA, Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain and Photographic Salon Group, Pakistan as a Fellow and Associate. That apart he was one of the first to work on applications of photography in scientific research.