Dr. R. Balasubramaniam: Championing Grassroots Leadership for Nation-Building
Dr. R. Balasubramaniam—fondly known as Dr. Balu—is a rare blend of visionary leadership, deep humility, and tireless service. A trained medical doctor who chose the path of nation-building over personal ambition, Dr. Balu founded the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) in 1984. What began as a modest health initiative has, over four decades, transformed into a movement empowering rural and tribal communities across India through health, education, and grassroots development.
Armed with over 30 years of field experience, Dr. Balu brings an unmatched depth of insight to India’s policy ecosystem. A Harvard-educated Eisenhower Fellow, he has served as a special investigator for the Lokpal of India, a member of the Capacity Building Commission, and a key advisor in shaping national frameworks on governance, tribal welfare, ethics, and anti-corruption.
But his influence doesn’t stop at the grassroots or the corridors of power. As a visiting faculty at global institutions like Cornell University and the Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs), Dr. Balu continues to bridge the worlds of lived experience and academic excellence. His books—I, the Citizen, Voices from the Grassroots, and Leadership Lessons for Daily Living—are essential reads for anyone seeking to understand how personal integrity and public leadership can go hand in hand.
Dr. Balu’s life is a masterclass in leadership where service meets strategy, vision meets action, and change begins from within. For young changemakers and policy professionals, his journey is both an invitation and a roadmap—to lead with purpose, humility, and unwavering resolve.