Speaker
R. Balakrishnan
Indologist | Scholar | Former Bureaucrat
R. Balakrishnan is a distinguished Indologist and historian who has spent over 35 years researching the Indus Valley Civilization and its cultural legacies. His pioneering work, The ‘High-West: Low-East’ Dichotomy of Indus Cities: A Dravidian Paradigm, is a key contribution to the Dravidian Hypothesis of the Indus Civilization, praised by scholar Iravatham Mahadevan.
His books Journey of a Civilization: Indus to Vaigai (2019) and Oru Panpattin Payanam: Sindu Mudhal Vaigai Varai (2023) have significantly shaped Indus studies, earning him an Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Letters) from Periyar Maniammai University.
A retired IAS officer (1984 batch, Odisha cadre), Balakrishnan held leadership roles in disaster and election management, including two tenures as Deputy Election Commissioner at the Election Commission of India. His research on place names and Indus Valley legacies is part of Tamil Nadu’s school curriculum. Beyond academia, he is a Tamil writer, lyricist, and recipient of the 2023 Iyal Award. Currently, he serves as the Honorary Consultant at the Indus Research Centre, Chennai.
Sessions
Day 1 - 14th March, Friday @ The Nilgiri Library Outdoor
03:00 PM – 04:00 PM
In this insightful session, R. Balakrishnan joins Dr. Sundar Ganesan to explore the legacy, culture, and unanswered questions of the Indus Valley Civilization, offering fresh perspectives on one of history’s greatest civilizations.