 Palaniappan was a Fellow of the National Academy of Medical Sciences.Palaniappan was the first Director of the Center of Excellence a Microsurgical Unit which was created on 24 June 1987 at Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital, Chennai which performed microsurgical tubal recanalisation which was very much beneficial to unfortunate loss of the child subsequent to sterilization and in infertile women including later benefited Tsunami victims.He was also honoured by the prestigious BC Roy Award by the Medical Council of India.