She received her doctoral degree entitled B-L violation in grand unified theories from Stony Brook University, US under the supervision of Robert Shrock in 1983.
[3][4] Rao completed her PhD in high energy physics in the sub-field of grand unified theories.
[5][6] She made the crucial decision to shift her field of research to theoretical condensed matter physics from high energy physics upon finding that her achievements were being belittled, and her work and papers attributed to her husband Ashoke Sen who was working in the same field.
Rao's scientific contributions were undervalued with innuendos that her husband, also a famous scientist in the same field, wrote her papers for her.
[16] She wrote articles focusing on the topic of getting girls interested in a career in science or engineering and interested in reaching the top of their profession, the hurdles they will have to face, and the ways to improve their chances of making it to the top of respective fields.