Dr C K Ranjan graduated from the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) on 03 March 1980. He holds postgraduate degrees (MD and DNB Aviation Medicine) from Bangalore University and National Board of Examinations, New Delhi. He also completed MSc (Defence Studies) from Madras University and M Phil from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani. He is a Fellow of the Indian Society of Aerospace Medicine.

His career in the IAF spanned more than 38 years. He held various important appointments and retired in the rank of Air Marshal, as Director and Commandant of Armed Forces Medical College, Pune. He served as Professor of Aerospace Medicine at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Bangalore from 2003. He commanded the Air Force Central Medical Establishment, New Delhi and the Command Hospital Air Force, Bangalore which is an 800 bedded tertiary care centre. He was awarded the presidential awards viz., the Vishisth Seva Medal (VSM) in 2008 and Ati Vishisth Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2015 by the President of India.

Before taking responsibility as the first Vice Chancellor, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan University, he has served as the Pro Chancellor of Sri Devraj Urs Academy of Higher Education, Kolar and subsequently as the Chief Executive Officer of Yenepoya Specialty Hospital, Mangalore.