Anisaldehyde-4-phenyl-thiosemicarbazone (HL) complexes of Ni(II), Cu(II) and Pd(II) have been synthesized. Conductivity measurements, spectroscopic (FTIR, UV-visible, ESI(+) mass, 13 C and 1 H NMR, ESR), cyclic voltammetry study and thermal analyses were used to propose their molecular formulations. Ni(II), Cu(II) and Pd(II) complexes show room temperature magnetic moments of 3.07, 1.59 and 0.00 BM, respectively. The ligand and the metal complexes have been screened in vitro for antibacterial activity against the bacterial strains viz. P. vulgaris, S. aureus, E. coli, S. aeruginosa, B. subtillis and S. epidemidis and for antifungal activity against the fungal strains viz. A. niger, F. Oxosporum ciceri, F. oxosporum NCIM1281 and R. solani. The ligand, Cu(II) and Pd(II) complexes have been tested for antitubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37RV strain and for anticancer activity against three human cancer lines. The Cu(II) complex was found to be most potent against M. tuberculosis H37RV strain and showed its MIC as 10 µM. The ligand and Cu(II) complex exhibited quite good growth inhibitory activity against most of the tested bacterial and fungal strains.