Dr. Gopi Paliyath was honoured posthumously with the Grant's Desi Achiever Award on July 22, 2023. This award recognizes the outstanding service to the community and setting the bar higher for south Asians in Canada. 

Dr Gopinadhan Paliyath’s research interests included biochemistry of fruits and vegetables, their cancer-preventive and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, senescence, shelf life and quality.

He passed away in September last year. At the time, he was working on nutraceuticals to target Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Crohn’s Disease, and studying anti-cancer properties of Ontario blueberries, strawberries and cherries.

"We don’t need to destroy forests to cultivate more crops, we need to use what we grow well and wisely", he had said. His research, he hoped, was a path towards enhanced food security.

Dr Paliyath urged people to become more aware of nature. And to think of the contributions you can make to those around you.

The award was received by Malavika Nair- his grad student on his family’s behalf.