Pattadakal Venkanna Raghavendra Rao was an Indian civil servant, writer and the sixth defence secretary of India.^[1] He assumed office on 21 November 1962, the day the Sino-Indian War ended^[2] and held the position until 3 April 1965. He was the author of three books, India's Defence Policy and Organisation Since Independence,^[3] Defence without drift^[4] and Red Tape and White Cap.^[5] The Government of India awarded him Padma Vibhushan, the second highest Indian civilian award, in 1967.^[6]