Dr. R.Balakrishnan I.A.S.(Rtd)
R. Balakrishnan is a retired
bureaucrat and an Indologist and has
been consistently working in this field
for the last 35 years. He follows a
multi-disciplinary approach to map
the post-Indus migrations and trace
the carried-forward legacies of the
Harappan Culture. His publication 'The
'High-West: Low-East' Dichotomy of
Indus Cities: A Dravidian Paradigm' is
considered one of the most significant
pieces of evidence adduced in favor of
the Dravidian Hypothesis of the Indus
Civilization. Renowned Indus Scholar
Iravatham Mahadevan has hailed this
book as the “most remarkable among
the Tamil works published so far on this
subject”. His views on the Indus Valley
Civilization and place-name evidence
are part of the school curriculum in
Tamil Nadu. His magnum opus “Journey
of a Civilization: Indus to Vaigai”
(2019) and its Tamil translation “Oru
Panpattin Payanam: Sindu Mudhal
Vaigai Varai” (2023) have made a
significant impact in the area of Indus
studies and Indology. He was awarded
Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) by
Periyar Maniammai University for his
contribution in the field of Indology
and particularly his work on the Indus
Valley Civilization.
He has done extensive research
on the multi-layered prehistory and
cultural heritage of Odisha. His book
Aabaddh Padachinha is the Odia
translation of his research articles
on Odisha, its history, culture, and
heritage.
Balakrishnan is a creative writer
in Tamil. Some of his publications are
Anbulla Amma (1991), Siragukkul
Vaanam (2012), Nattukkural (2016),
Panmaayak Kalvan (2018), and Ippadi
Oru Theeya (2023). He is a lyricist, and
his album, inspired by Thirukkural, is a
huge success. He has given a series of
lectures on Sangam literature named
“Sanga Surangam” and they have been
published in three volumes. He is from
a place called Natham near Madurai in
Tamil Nadu. He had his graduation and
post-graduation in Tamil Literature.
Balakrishnan has 34 years of
illustrious career as an IAS Officer. He
is a 1984 batch officer in the cadre of
Odisha. He worked in various capacities
in the Government of Odisha and
the Government of India. He has aspecialisation in Disaster Management
and Election Management. He has
served in the Election Commission of
India as Deputy Election Commissioner
twice. He served as Additional Chief
Secretary (Finance) and Development
Commissioner. After his retirement, he
served as the Chief Advisor (Special
Initiatives), office of the Chief Minister,
Government of Odisha. Millet Mission
of Odisha, Odisha Virtual Academy,
Odisha Knowledge Hub Lecture Series
are a few of his many initiatives in
Odisha.
He is currently the honorary
consultant of Indus Research Centre
(a research wing of Roja Muthiah
Research Library) in Chennai.