Academic Qualifications:
- MD (Madras). Ph.D.(London), DSc (London)
- F.R.C.P. (Edin.), F.R.C.P. (London)
Fellowships:
- Fellow of the Royal Society, London, F.R.S.
- Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy.
- Fellow of the Indian Academy of Science.
- Fellow of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of India.
- D.Sc. (Hon. Caus.Banaras Hindu University),
Positions Held
- Director-General Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, 1974-79.
- Director- National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, 1960-1974.
Other Positions Held
- President, International Union of Nutritional Sciences, 1975-79.
- Chairman, Regional Advisory Committee on Medical Research, WHO, 1975-1980.
- Member, Global Advisory Committee on Medical Research, WHO, 1977- 80.
- Member, Nutrition Expert Panel of the WHO/FAO for several years and participated in all the major meetings of the panel during the last 30 years.
- Founder President, Nutrition Society of India.
- President, First Asian Congress of Nutrition.
- Elected Honorary Member of the American Institute of Nutrition.
National Awards
- Padma Shri 1970
- Padma Bhushan, 2003
Academic Honours
- Basant Devi Amir Chand Prize of the Indian Council of Medical Research in 1954 for medical research.
- Basant Devi Amir Chand Prize (Senior) of the Indian Council of Medical Research for 1960 for research in nutrition and public health problems.
- Amrut Mody Research Award for 1972 for contributions in the field of nutrition.
- Dr. B.C. Roy National Award for “Development of Specialities in MedicineNutrition” (1974).
- Ambuj Nath Bose Prize of the Royal college of Physicians, London, 1976.
- Dhanvantri Award for outstanding contribution in Medical Research and Leadership in the field of nutrition and medical research, 1978.
- Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Award for contribution in the field of nutrition, 1978.
- WHO-Health for All Medal, 1988.
- Sir C.V Raman Gold Medal of the Indian National Science Academy in recognition of outstanding scientific merit, 1988.
- International Union of Nutrition Sciences Award for outstanding work on nutritional problems of developing countries, 1989.
- R.D Birla Award for outstanding medical research, 1990.
- Awarded the Centenary Honorary Fellowship of The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on the occasion of the Centenary Celebrations, 1999.
- Life time achievement award of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, 2005
- International Union of Nutrition Sciences recognised him as a ‘Living Legend in Nutrition’.in 2013
In 2018, NFI celebrated Dr Gopalan’s centenary birthday by organizing Dr C Gopalan Centenary Symposium on “India’s tryst with SDG nutrition targets”.