Born in Arulmozhithevan village near Mayiladuthurai (formerly Mayavaram) in 1939, Balakrishnan had his early college education in A.M. Jain college, Chennai.

After Graduation in Civil Engineering from Annamalai University in 1960, he received M.Sc (Engineering) in Sructural Engineering in 1967.

He joined state PWD as Junior Engineer in May 1960 and worked for 15 months.Then joined Annamalai University as lecturer in Civil Engineering.He moved to Sructural Engineering Department when it was created in 1978.He retired as Professor of Stuctural Engineering in June 1999. His area of specialisation are Material Science and analysis of Sructures. He has guided more than 100 M.E

project and research thesis.

He married Vasantha in May 1961 and has a son and daughter.

Son Ravishankar has a B.E in Mechanical Engg from Annamalai university(1985), M.S. from University of Noth Carolina and MBA from Marquette University ,Wisconsin. Presently he is Director Development in  Scientific Forming Technology Corporation-Deform in Columbus Ohio. He is married and has a son Pranav and daughter Divya. His wife Vijayalakshmi is a qualified CPA and MBA from WI university. She works for Abbot Lab as Financial Controller at Columbus.

His daughter Nalini Suresh gratuated B.Com from Annamalai University and qualified ICWAI.She works as Financial Consultant at Dubai.Mr Suresh is a Chartered Accountant and works as CMD at Dubai.  They have a daughter Madhuvanthi studying in British School.