[1] His brother, Shiv Nadar, is the founder of the university bearing his name.
An engineer and scientist, Balakrishnan has previously served as the founding Pro-Chancellor of the University.
[2] Balakrishnan took charge of the Office of the Chancellor in April, 2014, and continued to carry forward the objectives of the University, while at the same time defining organizational structures for the University.
His brother, the founder, Shiv Nadar talked about Balakrishan's "rich experience and depth in academics and research" and his "expertise in global learning pedagogy" being important for shaping up the young university.
[3] Balakrishnan completed his doctoral thesis in 1983, at the University of Texas at Austin, receiving a PhD in Aerospace Engineering.