This paper describes a simple in-situ process of synthesizing highly dispersed palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) using aqueous leaf extract of GarciniapedunculataRoxb as bio-reductant and starch (0.3%) as bio-stabilizer. The PdNPs are characterized by techniques like FTIR, TEM, SEM-EDX, XRD and XPS analysis. It is worthnoting thatwhen the synthesis of nanoparticles was carried out in absence of starch, agglomeration of particles has been noticed.The starch-assisted PdNPs showed excellent aqueous-phase catalytic activities for three important reactions: the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of aryl halides (aryl bromides and iodides) with arylboronic acids; selective oxidations of alcohols to corresponding carbonyl compounds; and reduction of toxic Cr(VI) to nontoxic Cr(III). Our catalyst could be reused up to four cycles without much compromising with its activity. Furthermore, the material also demonstrated excellent antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activities against a novel multidrug resistant clinical bacterial isolate Cronobactersakazakii strain AMD04. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of PdNPswere found to be 0.06 and 0.12 mM respectively.