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{{short description|Indian marine biologist, ecologist (1927–2010)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = N. Balakrishnan Nair
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1927|7|6}}
| birth_place = [[Kerala]], India
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2010|4|21|1927|7|6}}
| death_place = [[Vazhuthacaud]], [[Kerala]], India
| residence =
| fields = Marine biology
| workplaces = {{ublist | [[University of Kerala]] | [[Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment]] | Kerala State Coastal Zone Management Authority | [[Council of Scientific and Industrial Research]] }}
| alma_mater = {{ublist | [[University of Madras]] }}
| doctoral_advisor =
| doctoral_students =
| known_for = Aquatic Biology<br>Biodeterioration of [[cellulose]]
| awards = 1971 [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize]]<br>1980 All India Congress of Zoology Gold Medal<br>1984 [[Padma Shri]]<br>1988 [[Indian National Science Academy|INSA]] Chandrakala Hora Memorial Medal
}}
'''Narayana Balakrishnan Nair''' (1927–2010) was a marine biologist, ecologist and the founder president of [[Kerala Science Congress]].<ref name="Kerala Science Congress held from 1989 to 2016">{{cite web | url=http://www.ksc.kerala.gov.in/ksc_over_28_yrs.pdf | title=Kerala Science Congress held from 1989 –2016 | publisher=Kerala Science Congress | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916233757/http://www.ksc.kerala.gov.in/ksc_over_28_yrs.pdf | archive-date=16 September 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref> He was known for his advocacy of [[trawling]] ban during [[monsoon]] seasons which was later accepted and imposed by the Government of Kerala.<ref name="N Balakrishnan Nair dead">{{cite web | url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/article196219.ece?service=print | title=N Balakrishnan Nair dead | publisher=Indian Express | date=22 April 2010 | access-date=15 September 2016 }}{{dead link|date=February 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> A [[Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship|Jawaharlal Nehru fellow]], Nair was an elected fellow of all the major Indian science academies as well as the [[Zoological Society of London]].<ref name="Deceased fellow - N. B. Nair">{{Cite web |url=http://insaindia.res.in/detail/N75-0506 |title=Deceased fellow - N. B. Nair |date=2016 |publisher=Indian National Science Academy |access-date=15 September 2016 |archive-date=13 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813021235/http://insaindia.res.in/detail/N75-0506 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Council of Scientific and Industrial Research]], the apex agency of the Government of India for scientific research, awarded him the [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology]], one of the highest Indian science awards, in 1971, for his contributions to biological sciences.<ref name="View Bhatnagar Awardees">{{cite web | url=http://ssbprize.gov.in/Content/AwardeeList.aspx | title=View Bhatnagar Awardees | publisher=Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize | date=2016 | access-date=4 September 2016}}</ref> He received the fourth highest Indian civilian honor of the [[Padma Shri]] in 1984.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web | url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | title=Padma Awards | publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India | date=2013 | access-date=15 September 2016 | archive-date=15 October 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Biography ==
Balakrishnan Nair was born on 5 February 1927 in Perumbavoor in [[Ernakulam District]] in the South Indian state of [[Kerala]].<ref name="Brief Profile of the Awardee">{{cite web | url=http://ssbprize.gov.in/Content/Detail.aspx?AID=207 | title=Brief Profile of the Awardee | publisher=Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref> After obtaining a doctoral degree (PhD) from the [[University of Madras]] in 1955, he continued his researches there to secure the degree of Doctor of Science in 1965 and started his career by joining the [[University of Kerala]] as a member of the faculty of science.<ref name="Deceased fellow - N. B. Nair" /> He held various positions at the university such as that of the head of the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries<ref name="Agar plant Commissioned at Mandapam ">{{cite web | url=http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/6423/1/July-September_1999.pdf | title=Agar plant Commissioned at Mandapam | publisher=Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute | work=Newsletter | date=July 1999 | access-date=15 September 2016 | pages=1 of 6 | issn=0972-2386}}</ref> (1968–80) and the dean of the faculty of science (1976) till he moved out in 1978 to take up positions elsewhere. Subsequently, he chaired the ''Science, Technology and Environment Committee'' (STEC) (present-day [[Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment]]) of the state government and served as a member of the ''Kerala State Coastal Zone Management Authority'', established by the Government of Kerala in 2002.<ref name="Order">{{cite web | url=http://envfor.nic.in/legis/crz/so20.htm | title=Order | publisher=Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of Kerala | date=2002 | access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref> He also served as an emeritus professor of the [[Council of Scientific and Industrial Research]] (CSIR) from 1991 onwards.<ref name="Deceased fellow - N. B. Nair" />

Nair was married to Gomathi and the couple had a son, B. Chandra Mohan and a daughter, G. Aparna Krishna Mohan, both medical doctors.<ref name="N Balakrishnan Nair dead" /> The family lived in [[Vazhuthacaud]], in [[Thiruvananthapuram]] and it was here he died on 21 April 2010, at the age of 82, succumbing to age-related illnesses.<ref name="Fellow Profile">{{cite web | url=http://www.ias.ac.in/describe/fellow/Nair,_Prof._Narayana_Balakrishnan | title=Fellow Profile | publisher=Indian Academy of Sciences | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
Balakrishnan Nair focused his researches on organisms that damage the marine ecology and his studies on the wood-boring [[molluscs]] helped in understanding the mechanism of their timber boring activities.<ref name="Handbook of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize Winners">{{cite web | url=http://www.csirhrdg.res.in/ssb.pdf | title=Handbook of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize Winners | publisher=Council of Scientific and Industrial Research | date=1999 | access-date=15 September 2016 | pages=33 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304043957/http://www.csirhrdg.res.in/ssb.pdf | archive-date=4 March 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref> He studied the [[littoral]] ecology and proposed measures for conservation of aquatic life and its management.<ref name="N Balakrishnan Nair dead" /> It was known that his advocacy for banning the trawling activities during the [[monsoon]] seasons in Kerala influenced the subsequent decision by the state government to impose monsoon trawling, thereby contributing in conserving the shrimp population of the Kerala coasts. His expertise on the field of ''biodeterioration of cellulose in aquatic environment'' was reported to have been acknowledged by the science community.<ref name="Deceased fellow - N. B. Nair" /> He proposed measures for the conservation of tropical [[wetlands]] and [[mangroves]] and for the management of [[marine algae]] and [[seagrasses]]. He published his studies through over 400 articles<ref name="Articles written by Nair, Balakrishnan N.">{{cite web | url=http://www.currentscience.ac.in/php/auth.php?authid=13588&author=Nair,%20N.%20Balakrishnan | title=Articles written by Nair, Balakrishnan N. | publisher=Current Science | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref><ref name="WorldCat Identities">{{cite web | url=http://www.insa.nic.in/writereaddata/UpLoadedFiles/PINSA/Vol48B_1982_1_Art00.pdf | title=WorldCat Identities | publisher=WorldCat | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref> and several books.<ref name="au:Balakrishnan Nair">{{cite web | url=http://opac.cusat.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-search.pl?q=ccl%3Dau:Balakrishnan+Nair,+N.+and+branch:UL+and+au:Balakrishnan+Nair,+N.+and+au:Balakrishnan+Nair,+N.&sort_by=call_number_dsc | title=au:Balakrishnan Nair | publisher=Cochin University of Science and Technology | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref>{{Refn|group=note|His writings have been quoted by several authors.<ref name="WalterProctor2001">{{cite book | author1=DE Walter | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TH9-5crww4wC&pg=PA575 | title=Acarology: Proceedings of the 10th International Congress | publisher=Csiro Publishing | date=16 July 2001 | author2=H Proctor | author3=RA Norton, M Colloff, RB Halliday | pages=575– | isbn=978-0-643-09850-3}}</ref><ref name="Curtis2013">{{cite book|author=Fred A. Curtis|title=Energy Developments: New Forms, Renewables, Conservation: Proceedings of ENERGEX '84, The Global Energy Forum, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, May 14-19, 1984|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I0EfAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA240|date=17 September 2013|publisher=Elsevier Science|isbn=978-1-4831-8949-9|pages=240–}}</ref><ref name="Gupta2001">{{cite book|author=Rabin Sen Gupta|title=The Indian Ocean: A Perspective|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S3i4uFXR-MYC&pg=PA465|year=2001|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-90-5809-224-3|pages=465–}}</ref><ref name="ChristensenPauly1993">{{cite book|author1=Villy Christensen|author2=Daniel Pauly|title=Trophic Models of Aquatic Ecosystems|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eIMQJ0LDahEC&pg=PA89|year=1993|publisher=WorldFish|isbn=978-971-10-2284-6|pages=89–}}</ref>}} ''A Textbook of Marine Ecology'',<ref name="NairThampy1980">{{cite book|author1=Narayana Balakrishnan Nair|author2=D. M. Thampy|title=A textbook of marine ecology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAk-AAAAYAAJ|year=1980|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=9780333903209 }}</ref> ''The Biology of Woodboring Teredinid Molluscs'',<ref name="NairSaraswathy1971">{{cite book|author1=Narayana Balakrishnan Nair|author2=M.. Saraswathy|title=The Biology of Woodboring Teredinid Molluscs|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HU5PNwAACAAJ|year=1971}}</ref> ''Marine Timber Destroying Organisms of the Andaman-Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep Archipelago''<ref name="Marine timber destroying organisms of the Andaman-Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep archipelago">{{cite book | url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/destroying-Andaman-Nicobar-Lakshadweep-archipelago-Zoological/dp/B0006F9OSI/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473958056&sr=1-7 | title=Marine timber destroying organisms of the Andaman-Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep archipelago | publisher=The Survey | author=N. Balakrishnan Nair | year=1994 | pages=87 | asin=B0006F9OSI}}</ref> and ''Advances in Aquatic Biology and Fisheries'',<ref name="Advances in Aquatic Biology and Fisheries">{{cite book | url=http://opac.cusat.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=16591&query_desc=au%3ABalakrishnan%20Nair%2C%20N.%20and%20branch%3AUL%20and%20au%3ABalakrishnan%20Nair%2C%20N.%20and%20au%3ABalakrishnan%20Nair%2C%20N. | title=Advances in Aquatic Biology and Fisheries | publisher=Prof. N Balakrishnan Nair felicitation committee |author1=Natarajan, P |author2=Suryanarayanan H |author3=Balakrishnan Nair, N. | year=1987 | pages=437}}</ref> in English language and ''Paristhithivignanam'' (Environmental Studies) and ''Kadal: Oru Adbhudam'' (Ocean: A Wonder), both in [[Malayalam]].<ref name="Kadal: Oru Adbhudam">{{cite book | url=http://opac.cusat.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=52692&query_desc=au%3ABalakrishnan%20Nair%2C%20N.%20and%20branch%3AUL%20and%20au%3ABalakrishnan%20Nair%2C%20N.%20and%20au%3ABalakrishnan%20Nair%2C%20N. | title=Kadal: Oru Adbhudam | publisher=The State Institute of Languages | author=Balakrishnan Nair N. | year=2002 | pages=149 | isbn=81-7638-325-2}}</ref> are some of the notable ones among them.

Nair was one of the founder members of the [[Kerala Science Congress]] when it was established in 1989 and served as its president since inception till 1992.<ref name="Kerala Science Congress held from 1989 to 2016"/> He was the chairman of the ''Science, Technology and Environment Committee'' (STEC) (later remodeled as [[Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment]]) and was a member of the [[Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia]]<ref name="List of Scientific Papers Published by Academy Staff Members in 1967">{{cite journal | jstor=4064618| title=List of Scientific Papers Published by Academy Staff Members in 1967 | author=Academy of Natural Sciences | journal=Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia | year=1967 | volume=119 | pages=345–347}}</ref> He sat in the panel of experts of the ''Centre for Coastal Zone Management and Coastal Shelter Belt'', with responsibility for the state of Kerala<ref name="Experts">{{cite web | url=http://iomenvis.nic.in/index1.aspx?lid=4&mid=-1&langid=1&linkid=4 | title=Experts | publisher=Centre for Coastal Zone Management and Coastal Shelter Belt | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref> and was a founder member of the ''Kerala State Coastal Zone Management Authority''.<ref name="Order" /> He chaired the Indo-Dutch Mission for the ''Kallada Environmental Action Programme'' in 1991 and served as the secretary to the Government of Kerala at the Department of Science, Technology and Environment from 1986 to 1991.<ref name="Deceased fellow - N. B. Nair" /> He was a member of the council of the [[Indian National Science Academy]] during 1978–80 and was involved with eight science journals as a member of their editorial boards while serving as the chief editor of ''Aquatic Biology'' journal from 1980 to 1986. A life member of the Marine Biological Association of India,<ref name="Life member">{{cite web | url=http://mbai.org.in/php/life_members.php?keywords=&listing_per_page=30&page=3 | title=Life member | publisher=Marine Biological Association of India | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref> he participated in several conferences to deliver keynote addresses.<ref name="Meetings, Seminars and Discussions">{{cite web | url=http://www.vmft.org/category/activities/meetings-and-seminars/ | title=Meetings, Seminars and Discussions | publisher=Vakkom Moulavi Foundation Trust | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016 | archive-date=12 April 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110412044315/http://www.vmft.org/category/activities/meetings-and-seminars/ | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy">{{cite web | url=http://www.insa.nic.in/writereaddata/UpLoadedFiles/PINSA/Vol48B_1982_1_Art00.pdf | title=Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy | publisher=Indian National Science Academy | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref>

== Awards and honors ==
Nair was awarded the [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize]], one of the highest Indian science awards, by the [[Council of Scientific and Industrial Research]] in 1971.<ref name="Brief Profile of the Awardee" /> In 1979, he was selected as a National Professor by the [[University Grants Commission (India)|University Grants Commission]] and he received the All India Congress of Zoology Gold Medal in 1980. His project on ''Ecology of Biodeterioration in the sea around India with special reference to Timber Destroying Organisms'' was chosen for the [[Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship]] in 1982<ref name="List of Jawaharlal Nehru Fellows">{{cite web | url=http://www.jnmf.in/flist.html | title=List of Jawaharlal Nehru Fellows | publisher=Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016}}</ref> and the Government of India included him in the [[Indian honours system|Republic Day honors]] list for the civilian award of the [[Padma Shri]] in 1984.<ref name="Padma Awards" /> The [[Indian National Science Academy]], which elected him as their fellow in 1975, awarded him the Chandrakala Hora Memorial Medal in 1987.<ref name="Chandrakala Hora Memorial Medal">{{cite web | url=http://insaindia.res.in/recipients.php#56 | title=Chandrakala Hora Memorial Medal | publisher=Indian National Science Academy | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016 | archive-date=16 September 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916233840/http://insaindia.res.in/recipients.php#56 | url-status=dead }}</ref> He was also an elected fellow of the [[Indian Academy of Sciences]], [[National Academy of Sciences, India]],<ref name="NASI fellows">{{cite web | url=http://www.nasi.org.in/deceased.htm | title=NASI fellows | publisher=National Academy of Sciences, India | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016 | archive-date=28 May 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528102550/http://www.nasi.org.in/deceased.htm | url-status=dead }}</ref> [[The World Academy of Sciences]] (2002),<ref name="TWAS fellows">{{cite web | url=http://twas.org/twass-former-fellows | title=TWAS fellows | publisher=The World Academy of Sciences | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916205721/http://twas.org/twass-former-fellows | archive-date=16 September 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Zoological Society of London]], Zoological Society of India, Marine Biological Association of India and was a founder fellow of the [[National Academy of Agricultural Sciences]].<ref name="Deceased fellow - N. B. Nair" /> Nansen Environmental Research Centre (India) have instituted an annual award, ''Prof. N. Balakrishnan Nair Award'' in his honor for recognizing excellence.<ref name="Prof. N. Balakrishnan Nair Award">{{cite web | url=https://www.nersc.no/sites/www.nersc.no/files/NERCI-2013-final.pdf | title=Prof. N. Balakrishnan Nair Award | publisher=Nansen Environmental Research Centre | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016 | archive-date=16 May 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516060618/https://www.nersc.no/sites/www.nersc.no/files/NERCI-2013-final.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Selected bibliography ==
* {{cite book|author1=Narayana Balakrishnan Nair|author2=M.. Saraswathy|title=The Biology of Woodboring Teredinid Molluscs|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HU5PNwAACAAJ|year=1971}}
* {{cite book|author1=Narayana Balakrishnan Nair|author2=D. M. Thampy|title=A textbook of marine ecology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAk-AAAAYAAJ|year=1980|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=9780333903209 }}
* {{cite book | url=http://opac.cusat.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=16591&query_desc=au%3ABalakrishnan%20Nair%2C%20N.%20and%20branch%3AUL%20and%20au%3ABalakrishnan%20Nair%2C%20N.%20and%20au%3ABalakrishnan%20Nair%2C%20N. | title=Advances in Aquatic Biology and Fisheries | publisher=Prof. N Balakrishnan Nair felicitation committee |author1=Natarajan, P |author2=Suryanarayanan H |author3=Balakrishnan Nair, N. | year=1987 | pages=437}}
* {{cite book | title=Marine timber destroying organisms of the Andaman-Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep archipelago | publisher=The Survey | author=N. Balakrishnan Nair | year=1994 | pages=87 | asin=B0006F9OSI}}
* {{cite book | title=Kadal: Oru Adbhudam | publisher=The State Institute of Languages | author=Balakrishnan Nair N. | year=2002 | pages=149 | isbn=81-7638-325-2}}

== See also ==
* [[Kerala Science Congress]]
* [[Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment]]
* [[List of people from Kerala]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=note}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{cite web | url=http://www.kufos.ac.in/pub%26awards.php | title=Publications and Awards | publisher=University of Kerala | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016 | archive-date=4 October 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004043314/http://www.kufos.ac.in/pub%26awards.php | url-status=dead }}
* {{cite web | url=http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n81130985.html | title=Balakrishnan Nair, N. (Narayana) | publisher=Library of Congress | work=Author profile | date=2016 | access-date=15 September 2016}}

{{SSBPST recipients in Biological Science}}
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Medicine}}
{{Padma Award winners of Kerala}}
{{Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Laureates of Kerala}}
{{Portal bar|India|Biology}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nair, Narayana Balakrishnan}}
[[Category:Recipients of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Biological Science]]
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Ernakulam district]]
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:University of Madras alumni]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the University of Kerala]]
[[Category:Council of Scientific and Industrial Research]]
[[Category:Indian marine biologists]]
[[Category:Indian ecologists]]
[[Category:Scientists from Kochi]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Indian Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Fellows of the National Academy of Sciences, India]]
[[Category:Fellows of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Zoological Society of London]]
[[Category:Fellows of The World Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian biologists]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in science & engineering]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian earth scientists]]

N. Balakrishnan Nair - Revision history

Caliber: new a stub