Vivian Balakrishnan, Singaporean ophthalmologist and politician, Singaporean Ministry of National Development
Vivian Balakrishnan (Tamil: விவியன் பாலகிருஷ்ணன்; born 1961) is a Singaporean politician who has been serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2015. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he is the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Cashew ward of Holland–Bukit Timah GRC since 2006, and the Ulu Pandan ward of Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC between 2001 and 2006. He was previously Second Minister for Trade and Industry (2005–2006), Minister for Community, Youth and Sports (2005–2011), Second Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (2006–2008), Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (2011–2015), and Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative (2014–2017).

A President's Scholar, Balakrishnan studied 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, while concurrently holding the positions of medical director of the Singapore National Eye Centre and chief executive officer of the Singapore General Hospital.Balakrishnan made his political debut in the 2001 general election when he joined a five-member PAP team contesting in Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC. After the PAP team won by an uncontested walkover, he became a Member of Parliament and was subsequently appointed as a Minister of State in 2002 and later promoted to Senior Minister of State in 2004. Balakrishnan was elected for a second term after the 2006 general election when the PAP team in Holland–Bukit Timah GRC won by an uncontested walkover. However, starting from the 2011 general election, the PAP team in Holland–Bukit Timah GRC led by Balakrishnan had faced challenges from the opposition Singapore Democratic Party in three consecutive general elections, but had managed to win by at least 60% of the vote each time.