Bokinakere Ramakrishnaiya Subba Rao (25 August 1925 – 29 November 2020) was an Indian-origin entomologist who worked at the Commonwealth Institute of Entomology.

One of the insect species discovered in Hessarghatta was described by Subba Rao, Neodusmetia sangwani, a parasitic wasp considered one of the successful examples of classical biological control.

[1] Another species that he described was Thompsonisca sankarani, named after T. Sankaran who headed the Indian CIBC station, which is an important biological control agent of the mango scale Pseudaulacaspis barberi.

[2] Rao was also a keen sportsman who played cricket, tennis and took part in athletics in his undergraduate days.

I said “it’s only a male it can’t hurt you” ...afterwards I realized what I said!He also took a keen interest in Indian classical music, knew the ragas, could play the violin, and was a regular at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in London.