V.K.T. Balan

Kalaimamani V.K.T Balan is a travel agent and media figure in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
==Biography==
Balan was born in Thiruchendur, Thoothukudi district, in southern Tamil Nadu state, India. He travelled to Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, in 1981 and lived homeless at Chennai Egmore railway station. He made money by standing in the queue for people waiting at the American Embassy for visas, charging a few rupees a time to reserve a place for customers. He made acquaitances with people in the travel industry and opened his own travel agency in 1986.
The Government of Tamil Nadu conferred Balan with the “Kalaimamani” award and the citation was given to Balan by the then Tamil Nadu Governor Ms. Fathima Beevi. The then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi presented the shawl and gave him the “Thanga Pathakam” (Gold Award).
Balan launched Tamil Nadu's first Internet Radio channel, World Tamil News, in 2001. He currently presents a television program Velichatin Marupakkam meaning "the other side of the light" on Podhigai TV. So far 300 episodes of this program were aired in Pothigai.
==References==
Category:Tamil Nadu Television personalities
Category:Travel agencies
Category:Living people