Abstract: Diabetes mellitus is a common disorder affecting individuals of all ages. It is not a pathogenic entity but a group of aetiologically different metabolic defects. By the year 2025, there is predicted to be a 35 % increase in the world-wide prevalence of diabetes. The rising number of people with diabetes will occur mainly in populations of developing countries, leading to more than 300 million people with diabetes globally by 2025. Presently as many as 50 % of people with diabetes are undiagnosed.