The Imperial Bacteriological Laboratory (IBL) established at Pune in 1889, was first led by Dr Alfred Lingard, as In-charge of the laboratory in 1890. Two years later, it was felt that handling highly infectious micro-organisms and pathological materials in a densely populated city like Pune is hazardous. Consequently, the laboratory was shifted in 1893 to an isolated site amidst the dense conifer forest of Mukteshwar in the Kumaon hills of United Province located at about 1500 m above the mean sea level. Cattle plague or rinderpest was the most devastating disease in those days and the institute gave top priority to controlling this deadly disease. The first batch of anti-rinderpest serum was produced in 1899. By 1906, the institute started production of antisera against anthrax, hemorrhagic septicemia and tetanus, a vaccine against black quarter and a diagnostic against equine glanders. To produce more of these biological products, a sub-center was established at Kargaina, on the outskirts of Bareilly city. The limitation of space at this site led to the acquisition of 306 ha. of land in Izatnagar in 1913, where the institute stands today. The Imperial Bacteriological Laboratory was renamed several times. It was known as the Imperial Institute of Veterinary Research in 1925, the Imperial Veterinary Serum Institute in 1930 and the Imperial Veterinary Research Institute in 1936. Finally, when India gained independence, it was renamed as Indian Veterinary Research Institute. It came under the administrative control of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in 1966.
Harness veterinary and animal science research and education for sustainable growth in the livestock sector to ensure food and income security.
Research and development in veterinary and animal science to promote livestock and poultry health and production, generate human resources, develop and transfer technologies to ensure livestock production systems
