CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP) is a premier multidisciplinary research institute of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India with its major focus on exploiting the potential of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) by cultivation, bioprospection, chemical characterization, extraction, and formulation of bioactive phytomolecules. With a strength of 100 scientists, 162 technical officers, 129 support staff and nearly 300 doctoral and post-doctoral scholars at its HQ in Lucknow and research centers at Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pantnagar, and Purara, CSIRCIMAP has played a key role in positioning India as a global leader in production of mints, vetiver and other aromatic grasses, and in ensuring indigenous production of artemisinin - a WHO approved anti-malarial. CSIR-CIMAP houses a National Gene Bank on MAPs, which is one of the three of its kind in India. CSIR-CIMAP has played a key role in successfully commercializing an ayurvedic herbs-based anti-diabetic formulation, which has now benefitted millions. The institute is presently accredited by ICS-UNIDO and Indian-Ocean Rim Association (IORA) as a focal point for research and training on Medicinal Plants among 21 participating member countries. History at a Glance Initially set up as Central Indian Medicinal Plants Organisation (CIMPO) in the year 1957 with a mandate to work and stimulate research on medicinal plants; subsequently aromatic plants also brought under its ambit . CIMPO started functioning from 26th March 1959 and rechristened as Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) in the year 1978 . The institute shifted to its present campus near Kukrail forest, Lucknow in the year 1980 . Our Mandate CSIR-CIMAP is engaged in multi-disciplinary high-quality research in agricultural, biological and chemical sciences and extending technologies and services to the growers and entrepreneurs of MAPs with the following mandate : Genetic improvement, cultivation, production and chemical processing of economically important MAPs . Characterization and conservation of genetic resources . Production of planting material of the improved cultivars . Bioprospecting plants and their constituents for various biological activities using different in vitro and in vivo techniques . Metabolic pathway studies for identifying and modulating yield determinants . Herbal products and formulations for better life . Knowledge management for the enhancement and dissemination of R&D . Human resource development for R&D in the basic and applied areas of MAPs .