Padma Bhushan Coluthur Gopalan, eminent nutrition scientist and former Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research, who was widely regarded as a father-figure in nutrition science in India, died here on Thursday due to age-related ailments. He turned 100, last November.
Malini Seshadri, his daughter, said he was hospitalised for chest infection.
Dr. Gopalan, born in a traditional household in Tamil Nadu in 1918, went on to obtain a doctorate from University of London in 1949 and subsequently headed the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, from 1961 to 1974.
He was awarded Padmashri in 1970. He served as the Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research from 1974 to 1979. Among his achievements while heading ICMR was the setting up of Vector Control Research Centre in Puducherry.
A statement by ICMR on his demise said that his research brought to fore the different aspects of nutrition, including public health, agriculture, and socio-economic factors, especially with respect to under-privileged sections. It said that the research under his leadership contributed to initiation of major nutrition programmes like the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Sarath Gopalan, a physician and son of Dr. Gopalan, said the latter’s book ‘Nutritive Value of Indian Foods’ is still considered a Bible among nutrition scientists in India.
He was conferred Padam Bhushan in 2003. Among the many awards he received were World Health Organisation’s Health for All medal in 1988, and International Union of Nutrition Sciences’ (IUNS) award for outstanding work on nutritional problems in developing countries in 1989. IUNS later recognised him as a ‘Living legend in nutrition science’ in 2013. In August this year, Federation of Asian Nutrition Societies (FANS) conferred him the ‘Living Legend Award.’
While his wife is no more, he is survived by his two children Ms. Malini, and Dr. Sarath.
