Depressive disorders constitute one of the major mental health problems. The cross and intracultural differences in etiology, clinical features and course and outcome vary maximally in depressives than in any other mental illness, and epidemiological studies have been a major strategy to delineate the same. In this report the author has attempted to review available Indian epidemiological literature in the field of depressive disorders, and suggestions have been provided for improving the quality of future research in this area.