V. K. Balan Nair is an IPS (Indian Police Service

Indian Police Service

The Indian Police Service , simply known as Indian Police or IPS, is one of the three All India Services of the Government of India...

) officer who became the first South Indian to head UP Police, the largest police force in the world under one single command. Hailing from Pathanamthitta district in Kerala

Kerala

or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

, he was educated at Mahatma Gandhi College

Mahatma Gandhi College

Mahatma Gandhi College is situated in Thiruvananthapuram city in the state of Kerala, India. It owes its origin to Mannathu Padmanabhan, the founder of Nair Service Society...

 and University College in Trivandrum. He joined the Indian Police Service

Indian Police Service

The Indian Police Service , simply known as Indian Police or IPS, is one of the three All India Services of the Government of India...

 in 1971, and was allotted to Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

cadre. Decorated with Indian Police Medal (IPM) for meritorious service and President's Police Medal (PPM) for distinguished service, he was elevated to the post of DGP, UP in June 2003. He retired from service on June 30, 2007.