The Division of Virology is located at Mukteswar, Nainital (Distt.) (Uttarakhand) at a distance of 169 km from the Institute Headquarters. The Division of Virology started as a serology section in 1931, which was later upgraded as “Pathology and Bacteriology” section in 1939 and as “Bacteriology and Virology” section in 1952. A full-fledged Division of “Bacteriology and Virology” was created in 1963 and a specialized “Division of Virology” was subsequently established in 1975. Dr J R Haddow, the British officer was the in-charge of the serology section while Dr B R Rajgopalan was the first Indian in-charge of the combined “Pathology and Bacteriology” section. Dr S Kumar was appointed as the first Head of the Division of the independent Virology Division. The Division presently has seven laboratories viz. PPR Laboratory, Poxvirus Laboratory, Bluetongue Laboratory, Entero-respiratory Virus Laboratory, Biochemistry Laboratory, Clinical Virology Laboratory and Clinical Bacteriology Laboratory. Beside these laboratories, Central Instrumentation Unit (CIU) as well as Experimental Animal Facilities are also available. A well-furnished library with collection of both rare and recent publications is also a centre of attraction. Recently, a well-furnished Central Biotechnology Laboratory equipped with modern scientific instruments came in to existence. The Division also has an excellent auditorium with modern audio-visual aids. Apart from these, a very good Veterinary Science Museum having collection of primitive instruments and vintage surgical instruments is worth watching. Two natural cold-rooms built for storage of serum samples are unique to see.

A sandwich Kit utilizing the recombinant PPRV N protein has been developed and validated. The Improved sandwich ELISA kit– IVRI-M PPRV Antigen capture ELISA kit has been released by Shri Radha Mohan Singh Ji, Hon’ble Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, GOI on the occasion of Annual conference of Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities and Directors of ICAR institutes at NASC complex, New Delhi on 8th March 2018.

A sandwich ELISA kit for the detection of BTV antigen was developed and validated. The assay can detect all the BTV serotypes circulating in India.