Justice M. N. Rao was born on 22-04-1936 in Nellore, A.P. He obtained the Master of Laws (M.L.) in Constitutional and International Law in 1961 from the Madras University under the guidance of Prof. Alexandrowicz, an internationally renowned Professor. He worked as Lecturer in the Osmania University in the faculties of Law and Arts during the academic year 1964-65. He taught Constitutional and International Law to LL.M., students and International Affairs to M.A. students.

His father late M.Subrahmanyam was the Town Planning Officer of the Nellore Municipality. His elder brother late Makani Venkata Rao was into spiritual activities until he left this world and his younger brother late Makani Krishna Murthy (M.S., New York), was a structural engineer settled in the United States of America. His only son Mr.Gautam Makani completed his Bachelors in Engineering from Osmania University, M.S. from Marquette University and MBA from Wharton School of Business Management. He is a citizen of the United States of America and a technology executive. His daughter-in-law Dr.Mrs.Priti Makani is a M.B.A., from Trinity College, Dublin and a Pharm.D. (Doctorate in Pharmacy) from the University of Florida. She works as a Geriatric care specialist. His grandson, Soham Makani, is an under-graduate student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois, USA.

Justice M.N.Rao practiced as an advocate in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh for 12 years. Appointed as District and Sessions Judge in 1973 by direct recruitment. Between 1979 and 1983, worked as Secretary to Government, Law and Legislative Affairs, Government of Andhra Pradesh. Deputed to work at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, London for six months under the Colombo Plan, a prestigious assignment. Architect of many innovative laws such as Abolition of Capitation fee, Equal Property Rights for Hindu daughters etc.

Appointed as permanent Judge of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh in July 1986. Delivered Prof.Venkataraman Endowment Lectures at the Andhra Pradesh University in 1991 on "Social Justice: Some Aspects". Also delivered Babasaheb Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Memorial Lecture at the Nagpur University in August, 1997. Delivered many important judgments in all branches of law especially Constitutional and International Law. He was a visiting Professor of the Nagpur University and an examiner for assessing doctoral theses for award of Ph.D.

He has participated in many national and international seminars and delivered key-note addresses and presented papers. The lectures delivered and the papers presented by him were published in the form of three books titled “Random Reflections on Law and Allied Matters”, “Reflections on Law and Society” and “Readings in Sociology of Law”. Reviewing two of his books, Shri Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer, an eminent former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, has made the following observations:

• "The gamut of the subjects spread out is enviable and the treatment excellent. Our Judicial culture stands indebted to Justice Rao both for his contribution and the example he has set for others of his ilk not to be cocooned in paper books, forensic submissions and professional insulation."
• “Justice M.N.Rao is worth every page for serious reading. I content myself with a general observation: the pages are luminous although the book itself is not voluminous; the ideas are quite modern and the presentation is in clear diction.”

Justice M.N. Rao was the Chief Justice of High Court of Himachal Pradesh from November 1997 to April 1998. Designated as a Senior Advocate, Shri Rao has practised as a Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court from 1-9-1998 to 5-6-2010. Appointed as Chairperson, National Commission for Backward Classes in June, 2010 with the status of Union Cabinet Minister and continued as such till 2013. After demitting the office of the Chairperson, National Commission for Backward Classes, he resumed his practice in the Supreme Court as a Senior Advocate.