KKG Menon obtained his PhD (1956) from Toronto University, Canada specializing in biochemistry, microbiology and toxicology. He served as the Director (Technical) Assam Co Ltd; Associate Professor of Pharmacology, St Louis University, USA; Research Director, Hindustan Lever Ltd, Mumbai.

Academic and Research Achievements: The most significant research achievements of Dr Menon are: preparation of a plague vaccine using casein hydrolysate instead of blood agar; demonstration of biosynthesis of lecithin from phosphatidyl ethanolamine through vitamin B12 and methionine; formation and metabolism of malonaldehyde CoA; enzymic carboxylation of CoA, and synthesis of glutaryl CoA; demonstration of increased ketogenesis by deacylation of aceto-acetyl CoA in diabetes; metabolism and utilization of aceto acetate in human skin; mass production of nutritive foods in nutrition intervention programme and development of the concept of ‘Shadow nutrients’ indicating the possibilities of the use of lipoic acid in the treatment of diabetes; and of taurine in human infants for better health; and choline in very old people for better retention of memory.

Other Contributions: Member, Indo-Soviet Cooperation and edited seven books and contributed several chapters in books.

Awards and Honours: Menon was the Fellow, Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore and President, Society of Biological Chemists (India). He received the Om Prakash Bhasin Award