डॉ. आर. बालासुब्रमण्यम

Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, popularly known as Dr. Balu, is a widely respected development practitioner, leadership trainer, author, and public policy expert. He also serves as Chairperson of the Social Stock Exchange Advisory Committee of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). He brings to this role a rare blend of grassroots and macro perspectives, drawn from nearly four decades of multifaceted experience in development and public policy.

Dr. Balu is widely recognised for his pioneering work with tribal and rural communities in Karnataka. In 1984, he founded the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM), a development organisation whose interventions in health, education, livelihoods, and community empowerment reaches over three million people. In 2011, he founded the Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM) to bridge the gap between grassroots realities and public policy through evidence-based research and advocacy.

Prior to joining NITI Aayog, he served as Member (Human Resources) of the Capacity Building Commission from April 2021 to April 2026, where he played a key role in advancing civil services capacity building and public sector human resource reforms. He was the Frank H. T. Rhodes Professor at Cornell University, USA, from 2012 to 2014, and continued his association with Cornell University as a Visiting Professor and Faculty Affiliate until 2024

Dr. Balu holds a PhD in Leadership and Management. He was awarded the Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) by Nrupatunga University, Government of Karnataka, in recognition of his contributions to social development and his work with rural and tribal communities.

He earned a Master of Public Administration from John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where he was a Mason Fellow. He also holds an MPhil in Hospital and Health Systems Management and an MBBS. His academic background reflects an interdisciplinary foundation spanning medicine, public administration, systems management, leadership, and social development.