Balan Nambiar is an Indian sculptor and artist known for working with diverse materials like clay, fiberglass, wood, bronze, steel, and stainless steel. His outdoor and monumental sculptures have been showcased in international exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale (1982) and Constructa-78 in Hannover. Nambiar has also created enamel paintings, having learned the technique from Paolo De Poli.

He has extensively documented the ritual performances and art forms of the Indian west coast, particularly Teyyam and Bhuta, with around 1,800 of his photographs housed at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, New Delhi.

Nambiar has received numerous awards, including the National Award (1981), Karnataka State Award (1980), and the Raja Ravi Verma Puraskaram (2015). His work was featured in a retrospective at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Bangalore in 2018. He has served as Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi and held other prominent positions in Indian cultural bodies.