Management guru Professor Bala V Balachandran passes away

: Management guru and founder of Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM) here - Professor Bala V Balachandran died following a brief illness.

He was not keeping well for some time and died in his sleep at 4 AM (local time) on September 27 in Chicago in the United States.

He was 84 and is survived by wife, two sons and grandchildren, a press release from the institute said on Tuesday.

"With profound grief, we inform you of the passing of Dr Bala V Balachandran, who was an inspiration to many. Although we will miss him dearly, we shall carry him in our hearts and live by the value system that he built for us," GLIM said of its chairman and dean (emeritus), a Padma Shri awardee.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and India Cements Ltd Vice Chairman and Managing Director N Srinivasan were among those who extended their condolences to the bereaved family members.

"I am pained to hear about the news of Bala V Balachandran who excelled in the field of management and was also as an educationist," Stalin said.

"I extend my deep condolences to his family members and the students of Great Lakes Institute of Management", he said in a official release.

Srinivasan in his message, hailed professor Balachandran as an 'outstanding thought leader' and 'management guru'.

"I am really saddened by the loss of my good friend Dr Bala Balachandran. I consider him as an outstanding thought leader and management guru. In the early 2000 when Chennai was emerging as a top investment destination, Bala made Chennai and Tamil Nadu proud by establishing the premier b school, Great Lakes Institute of Management...," Srinivasan said.

Great Lakes Institute of Management has become a temple of learning not only for management students but also for the future leadership development programme of leading corporates, he said.

"GLIM has firmly put Chennai on the international management education map. It will remain his landmark contribution to the city he loved the most," Srinivasan, also the Managing Director, India Cements Ltd, said.

Born in Pudukottai district, Balachandran completed his studies at Annamalai University in Chidambaram. He had served in the Army briefly before moving to the United States to pursue his doctoral programme.

Balachandran had played an instrumental role in establishing many management institutes in the country. He was honoured with the 'Padma Shri' award by the Centre for his contribution to education.

In 2004, he set up the Great Lakes Institute of Management at Manamai, about 45 km from here, which is one of the popular business schools in the country now.

An eminent scholar, Bala's life was filled with accomplishments and accolades of the finest kind, the release added.