This oratorical piece provides a detailed description of the rich heritage of the work on TB in India which also contributed to dramatically changing the approaches to TB control, globally. The importance of integrating a social science approach in the epidemiological strategy was visualised at the very beginning of the establishment of the NTI in 1959 and this was the key concept in the formulation of the NTP. The social inputs in the NTP or, felt-need overlapping with epidemiologically assessed needs are described in detail. These inputs are, mainly, consideration of the awareness of suffering due to symptoms, giving priority to sputum-positive cases, integration of TB services with the GHS and, consideration of the need for improvement in people's access to health services. This revolutionary integration of social inputs in the TB programme by NTI resulted in the NTP taking a radically new approach to programme formulation and implementation. This led to the programme being more socially acceptable, cost-effective and epidemiologically effective. The problems encountered in implementing NTP during the last twenty-five years are detailed and some suggestions are offered to overcome them.