V. Balakrishnan (physicist)


V. Balakrishnan is an Indian theoretical physicist who has worked in a number of fields of areas, including particle physics, many-body theory, the mechanical behavior of solids, dynamical systems, stochastic processes, and quantum dynamics. He is an accomplished researcher who has made important contributions to the theory of anelasticity, continuous-time random walks, and recurrences in dynamical systems.
He received his PhD from Brandeis University in 1970. After a decade at TIFR and IGCAR Kalpakkam, he joined IIT Madras as a Professor of Physics in 1980. He was elected a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences in 1985.
In addition to his research, Balakrishnan is a popular and noted teacher of physics, known for his engaging teaching style, which combines physical insight, mathematical rigor, and wry wit. He has taught a wide range of courses over the past 30 years from introductory physics to quantum field theory to dynamical systems. Two of his courses taught at IIT Madras through National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning are available on NPTEL's channel on YouTube, and are extremely popular, having received about 2.3 million views in all.
Balakrishnan has authored the book Mathematical Physics with Applications, Problems and Solutions. He has also authored the book Elements of Nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics. A review in the journal Soft Materials explained that rather than providing comprehensive coverage of the field of nonequilibrium statistical mechanics, the book focuses on explaining the Langevin and Fokker–Planck equations. He co-authored the book Beyond the Crystalline State: An Emerging Perspective.
His wife, Radha Balakrishnan, is a theoretical physicist who works on nonlinear dynamics. His son, Hari Balakrishnan, is currently the Fujitsu Professor of Computer Science at MIT. His daughter, Hamsa Balakrishnan, is also on the faculty at MIT as an Associate Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics.