Vivian Balakrishnan

Vivian Balakrishnan
விவியன் பாலகிருஷ்ணன்
Balakrishnan in 2023
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Assumed office
1 October 2015
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
Lawrence Wong
Second MinisterJosephine Teo (2017)
Maliki Osman
(2020–present)
Preceded byK. Shanmugam
Acting Minister for Transport
In office
25 February 2019 – 5 April 2019
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
Preceded byKhaw Boon Wan
Succeeded byKhaw Boon Wan
Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative
In office
2014–2021
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byJosephine Teo
Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
In office
21 May 2011 – 30 September 2015
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
Second MinisterGrace Fu
(2012–2015)
Preceded byYaacob Ibrahim
Succeeded byMasagos Zulkifli
Second Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts
In office
30 May 2006 – 31 March 2008
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
MinisterLee Boon Yang
(2003–2009)
Second Minister for Trade and Industry
In office
1 April 2005 – 29 May 2006
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
MinisterLim Hng Kiang
(2004–2018)
Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports
In office
12 August 2004 – 20 May 2011
Acting: 12 August 2004 – 31 March 2005
Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong
Preceded byYaacob Ibrahim
Succeeded byChan Chun Sing
Member of Parliament
for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC
(Cashew)
Assumed office
27 April 2006
Preceded byConstituency established
Majority34,991 (32.72%)
Member of Parliament
for Holland-Bukit Panjang GRC
(Ulu Pandan)
In office
4 November 2001 – 27 April 2006
Preceded byLim Boon Heng (PAP)
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born1961 (age 62–63)[1]
State of Singapore
Political partyPeople's Action Party
SpouseJoy Balakrishnan
Children4
Alma materNational University of Singapore (MBBS)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • diplomat
  • ophthalmologist

Vivian Balakrishnan (Tamil: விவியன் பாலகிருஷ்ணன், romanized: Viviyaṉ Pālakiruṣṇaṉ; born 1961)[1] is a Singaporean politician, diplomat and former ophthalmologist who has been serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2015. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Cashew division of Holland–Bukit Timah GRC since 2006, and previously the Ulu Pandan division of Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC between 2001 and 2006.

He previously served as Second Minister for Trade and Industry between 2005 and 2006, Minister for Community, Youth and Sports between 2005 and 2011, Second Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts between 2006 and 2008, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources between 2011 and 2015, and Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative between 2014 and 2017.

A President's Scholar, Balakrishnan studied medicine at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore and underwent postgraduate specialist training in ophthalmology before he was admitted as a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. From 1999 to 2002, he served as the commanding officer of the Second Combat Support Hospital of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), while holding the positions of medical director of the Singapore National Eye Centre and chief executive officer of the Singapore General Hospital concurrently.[2]

Balakrishnan made his political debut in the 2001 general election as part of a five-member PAP team contesting in Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC and won by an uncontested walkover.[3] He was subsequently appointed as Minister of State for National Development in 2002, and Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry in 2004.[1]

  1. ^ a b c "Dr Vivian Balakrishnan". Parliament of Singapore. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Dr Vivian BALAKRISHNAN". Prime Minister's Office Singapore. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  3. ^ "2001 PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS". Elections Department Singapore. Retrieved 15 November 2021.