The sub-Himalayan region has been recognized as one of the largest biodiversity hotspots of the world. This region is well known for its unique ecology, lush landscapes and diverse physiographies, ranging from plains, plateaus to mountains. Naturally, the region is the storehouse of numerous medicinal plants many of which are endemic. Though the vast potential of this unique plant biodiversity is known and discussed, little has been done to harness the inherent potential towards drug discovery in a manner that is eco friendly and sustainable.

It is pertinent to mention that the region has more than hundred tribes which is also a rich respository of traditional knowledge about the region's medical flora. It is long overdue that the scientific community takes a serious look at this scenario and forward a feasible roadmap to harness the enormous potential of the region's plant diversity towards human welfare through scientific approach for drug discovery. As Dibrugarh University, the premier University located in the region, completes its fifty years, it is considered worthwhile to organize an international congregation of scientists from the diverse allied disciplines like Ethno Botany, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Life Sciences, Biotechnology and Chemical Sciences to create a platform for sharing the views and ideas on the contemporary tends in drug discovery from plant sources.