The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is one of the oldest and largest medical research bodies in the world. The ICMR is funded by the Government of India through the Department of Health Research ,Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. In 1911, the Government of India set up the Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA) with the specific objective of sponsoring and coordinating medical research in the country. After independence, several important changes were made in the organisation and the activities of the IRFA. It was redesignated the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in 1949,considerably expanded scope of functions.