Memorial for Dr Bala to come up on Great Lakes Institute campus

CHENNAI: Celebrating the life of Padma Shri Dr Bala V Balachandran, founder, chairman of the Board and Dean Emeritus of Great Lakes Institute of Management in Chennai, a memorial was announced to come up on campus in his honour.

The announcement was made on Founder’s Day at Great Lakes Institute by late Dr Bala’s son, Professor Sudhakar Balachandran, Director of MBA Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of Accounting at the University of Illinois, Chicago. He made the announcement in the presence of Vasantha Balachandran, wife of Dr Bala, Dr Suresh Ramanathan, Dean, Gautam Lakhamraju, Chief Operating Officer of Great Lakes Institute of Management and the teaching faculty and staff. To commemorate the occasion, a video on his inspirational life journey was released and saplings were planted.

Dr Sudhakar said, “The site could become a place of reflection for a lot of people. The values that Dr Bala lived by will be epitomised at the memorial.” He also recalled a statement by Dr Bala. “My father always said, have a vision and the confidence to execute it.”

Talking about his association with Dr Bala, Mohan Lakhamraju, Founder and CEO, Great Learning, Chairman of Great Lakes Institute of Management recalled, “I started out as a business partner for him 11 years ago. But, our relationship evolved over the years and he gradually became my mentor, guide and eventually a family member. He always had sheer positivity, passion and optimism.”