Justice K. G. Balakrishnan, former Chief Justice of the country has been named as the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC).

Balakrishnan is the sixth Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission.

Born on the 12th May, 1945 at in Kottayam District, Kerala, Balakrishnan joined as an advocate of the Kerala Bar Council on the 16th March, 1968 and pleaded both criminal and civil cases in the Ernakulam Court.

On the 10th January, 1973, he was nominated as a Munsif in the Kerala Judicial Service and afterward resigned from the service and restarted practice as an advocate in the Kerala High Court.

He was nominated as a Judge of the Kerala High Court on the 26th September, 1985. He turned the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court on the 16th July, 1998 and was shifted to the High Court of Judicature at Madras and accepted charge there as Chief Justice on the 9th September, 1999.

He was elevated as the Judge of the Supreme Court on the 8th June, 2000. On 14th January, 2007 he was appointed as the Chief Justice of India and retired on the 12th May, 2010.

During his tenure in the Supreme Court, he delivered several landmark judgements. These included an order which made the mid-day meal programme in schools a statutory requirement.

Justice Balakrishnan took part in many international seminars and delivered thought provoking lectures at various Universities on legal topics. (With Inputs from Agencies)