INTRODUCTION Stressful conditions trigger certain defence mechanisms, including those at molecular levels. This was first seen in Drosophilia and was reported in 1974.1 Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs), also known as Stress-induced Proteins or Stress Proteins, are one such class of proteins that are produced in the body in response to stress, under the control of Heat Shock Factors (HSFs), although some are constitutively expressed. The stress may be heat, cold, UV radiation, infections, inflammation, heavy metal exposure or else. HSPs are produced by all organisms and are ubiquitously present. The primary involvement of these proteins is in the folding and stabilization of other proteins, and thus they play an intimate role in the aggregation of various other proteins.2 Besides action on protein folding, these HSPs also possess pro- and anti-apoptotic properties, making them suitable targets for drug development. The HSP families are classified according to their molecular weight.