CHENNAI: Noted educationist and founder of the Great Lakes Institute of Management, Bala V Balachandran, passed away in Chicago on Tuesday after a brief illness. He was 84. Balachandran played a crucial role in establishing many reputed management institutes in India. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2001 for his contribution in the field of education.
Born in Pudukottai, Balachandran completed his collegiate education at Annamalai University, Chidambaram, and briefly served in the Indian Army before departing to the US to pursue his Doctoral studies. He played a vital role in recruiting the first set of faculty for IIM Bangalore in the late 60s, and in setting up the Management Department at the MDI at Gurgaon through a joint collaboration with UNDP, Wharton and Kellogg. In 2004, he set up the Great Lakes Institute of Management in Chennai, which today has another campus at Gurgaon and is one of the top B-schools in India.
He is survived by his wife Vasantha Balachandran, sons Dr Sudhakar Balachandran and Dr Diwakar Balachandran, their wives and grandchildren. “An eminent scholar, full of warmth and joie de vivre, prof Balachandran lived the life of a true Karma Yogi, often stressing... that to do one’s duty in life was the best accomplishment,” said a statement issued by the Great Lakes Institute.