The Central Tuber Crops Research Institute with its Headquarters at Thiruvananthapuram and RegionalCentre at Bhubaneswar, achieved remarkable progress in the R&D on tropical tuber crops during 2008-09. The visit of Dr. Mangala Rai, Secretary, DARE & Director General, ICAR and Dr. H.P.Singh, Deputy Director General (Hort.), ICAR was a great inspiration for the Scientists. The Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) was established during the Third Five Year Plan for intensification of research on tuber crops (other than potato). The institute started functioning in July 1963 with its headquarters (HQ) at Sreekariyam, Thiruvanthapuram, Kerala in an area of 21.5 ha. Later an area of 26.69ha has been added. CTCRI has one Regional Center (RC) at Bhubaneshwar functioning in area of 20ha. The All India Coordinated Research Project on Tuber Crops (AICRPTC) was started at CTCRI in 1968 with three centers at Dholi in Bihar, Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. The AICRPTC which was started for testing and popularization of location specific tuber crop technologies in various parts of India has presently 13 centers including CTCRI HQ and its Regional Center. The Institute is also one of the centers of All India Coordinated Research Project on Harvest and Post Harvest Technology. The CTCRI is conducting basic and applied research on various edible tropical tuber crops. The Institute has bagged many national and International recognitions in the past that include J.J. Chinoy Gold Medal (1970), three ICAR Team Research Awards (1985,1996,1998), D.L. Plucknett Award for Tropical Root Crops, Hari Om Trust Award (1993) Jawaharlal Nehru Award (1975, 1995,1998,2000,2004), Young Scientist Award instituted by Deseeya Sasthra Vedi (1996) and NRDC cash reward for biodegradable plastics (2000), Pat Coursey Award (2000, 2006) Vasantharao Naik Memorial Gold Medal (2002) and VITAA Award (2006).