PRC Gandhigram is attached to the Gandhigram Institute of Rural Health and Family Welfare (GIRH & FWT), Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu and functions as the Research Unit of the Institute. The Institute commenced its research activities four decades back as an action research through its Pilot Health Project in Athoor block during 1959. To consolidate its research effect in 1961, the Family Planning Communication and Action Research Centre (FPCAR) was sanctioned by the Government of India. The contribution and achievements of this project were appreciated and the FPCAR was upgraded in 1981 to a PRC, one of the 18 PRCs currently in operation in India. Our research activities have expanded to suit the demands of the community into all broad areas of maternal and child health, fertility and mortality, family planning, nutrition, rural health, communication, evaluation of program, and other related areas.

The PRC undertake the following functions 1) To undertake studies listed as top priorities by Government of India with the findings relevant to program development, policy making and testing of demographic theories and models, 2) To undertake evaluation studies and investigate into relevant points connected with on-going national health and family welfare programs for effective implementation, 3) To design, implement and evaluate various innovative action oriented research projects in the field on health and family welfare, 4) To give consultancy services to various institutions engaged in the field of population studies, 5) To help the government in the policy decisions, planning and implementation to achieve Health promotion goals, 6) Monitoring the data quality of HMIS and reporting the same to the District Health Officials.