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Malaria remains one of the worst killers in the world today and is the cause of even greater suffering in human, social, and economic terms. This chapter seeks to introduce the reader to various facets of this age-old disease, including malaria disease ecology, the course of malaria occurrence and diffusion over the ages, and the various traditional and public health measures that have been used for protection, prevention, and cure. The chapter focuses specially on the twentieth century, when a better understanding of the disease and various scientific advancements led to its near eradication in many parts of the world, including South Asia. These advances included anti-malaria drugs, pesticides such as DDT, better public heath measures, and the quest for an effective vaccine. Meanwhile, not only has South Asia faced resurgence in malaria occurrence since the 1960s and 1970s, but global trends in malaria …