Vijayan graduated from Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur and obtained his Masters of Science degree in 1963 from Allahabad University.

Structures elucidated by Vijayan showed that lectin adopt a variety of strategies for generating ligand specificity.

[8] His work on other systems, involving β-lactoglobulin[9] and hemoglobin,[10] as well, provided insights on role of hydration shell structure and function of proteins.

[1] After completing his postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford, he returned to India in 1971 and joined the Molecular Biophyiscs Unit at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

[1] He has continued to work at the Institute as a DBT Distinguished Biotechnologist and subsequently as a DAE Homi Bhabha Professor.

His unique approach of interlacing historical developments in the field with conceptual aspects made the course vibrant and energetic.

[12] He has won the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, GN Ramachandran Medal by INSA, Alumni Award Excell.