Next, he took a PhD degree (1986–90) in Environmental Toxicology from Cornell University, which he attended on an Andrew White scholarship.

Concurrently with his Narmada activism, Rahul had joined the Indian Ocean band in 1991, soon after returning to India with his doctorate.

[8] Rahul, along with Indian Ocean member Asheem Chakrabarty, sung the song 'Yaara Maula' in an Anurag Kashyap film Gulaal, a Hindi movie based on student politics.

[9] Rahul Ram's band Indian Ocean has also given music for the following films: In 2015, Indian Ocean composed the music for critically acclaimed Masaan (2015), in which Rahul Ram collaborated with writer Varun Grover and Swanand Kirkire for two songs and an original composition Bhor.

Rahul toured with Being Indian original series 'Aisi Taisi Democracy,' the coming together of three prolific talents - stand-up comedian and social-satirist Sanjay Rajoura, stand-up comedian, writer and lyricist Varun Grover (writer) joined him.