S. S. Balan

S. Balasubramanian (28 December 1935 – 19 December 2014) better known as S. S. Balan, was an Indian journalist, filmmaker, political analyst, and media executive.

Balan had a six-decade-long career in Indian media as the editor of the Tamil-language magazine, Ananda Vikatan, based in Chennai, India, and as managing director of Gemini Studios, starting in the 1950s. He later served as chairman of the Vikatan Group.

Balan was born on 28 December 1935 in Madras (now Chennai) to S. S. Vasan and Pattammal Vasan (d. 1996). He studied at Presentation Convent, Church Park, and P. S. High School. Afterwards, he later went on to earn a B.Com. degree from Loyola College, Madras.

S. S. Balan was married to Saroja Balasubramniam. and they had seven children, six daughters and one son.. His son B. Srinivasan is now Managing Director for the Vikatan group.

Ananda Vikatan, the flagship weekly magazine of Vikatan Publications, was founded in 1926 and acquired by Balan's father, S. S. Vasan in 1928. Balan joined Ananda Vikatan as Joint managing director and chief editor on 26 August 1956 at 21..He became managing director on 26 August 1969, following the death of his father, Vasan.^{[citation needed]} He served as a chairman to Vikatan group until his death.

In 1987, Balan was involved in controversy when the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly lodged him in prison for three days over a cartoon satire published on the cover of Ananda Vikatan. Following public backlash, he was released and in 1994, he appealed to court against his unlawful arrest and the Madras High Court ruled in his favor, awarding him ₹1,000 in compensation. Balan reportedly framed and displayed the achievement in his office.

Balan also introduced a program for student journalists, contributing to the development of many Tamil media professionals.

Balan died of a heart attack on 19 December 2014 in a private hospital in Chennai, nine days before his 79th birthday. His family donated his body to the Sri Ramachandra Medical College as per his wishes.