Copolymers of gelatin and poly (vinyl alcohol), (PVA) grafted by acrylic acid (AAc) with excellent water absorption and retention abilities under neutral conditions were successfully synthesized using $^{60}Co$ gamma radiations in presence of ammonium persulphate (APS), as water soluble initiator and sodium bicarbonate ($NaHCO_3$) as foaming agent. The optimum synthesis conditions pertaining to maximum swelling percentage were evaluated as a function of gelatin/PVA ratio, amount of water, concentration of APS, $NaHCO_3$, monomer concentration and total irradiation dose. Maximum percent swelling (1694.59%) of the copolymer, gelatin-co-PVA, was obtained at optimum $[APS]=2.92{\times}10^{-1}mol/L$, $[NaHCO_3]=7.94{\times}10^{-2}mol/L$ and 1.5 mL of water at total dose of 31.104 kGy while in case of grafted copolymer, (gelatin-co-PVA)-g-poly(AAc), maximum percent swelling (560.86%) was obtained using $8.014{\times}10^{-1}mol/L$ of AAc in 9 mL water with 31.104 kGy preirradiation dose. The pristine and grafted copolymers were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron Microscopy (SEM), Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) methods. The copolymers loaded with an antiseptic, Povidone, were used as wound dressing materials for wounded gastrocnemius muscle of mice and the results exhibit that (gelatin-co-PVA)-g-poly (AAc) copolymer is a potent wound dressing material as compared to the copolymer.