More than 60% people in India suffer from anemia. Supplementation of iron as a state policy for decades has not brought about significant decline in its incidence. India also harbors high malnutrition rates hence it is imperative that additional nutritional components as risk factors for anemia are to be examined in Indian population. This study explores the possible association of vit-B12 and folate deficiency with the prevalence of anemia in an Indian cohort.Hematological profile of 1290 individuals from eastern Indian states were correlated with their Homocysteine, vitamin-B12 and folate levels.Vitamin-B12 and folate deficiency were significantly associated with anemia in the studied cohort, suggesting them as vital risk factors in Indian population. Most of the macrocytic and greater than 50% of subjects with microcytic and normocytic anemia showed vit-B12 deficiency, indicating the plausible coexistence of iron and vit-B12 deficiency in the studied cohort.Vitamin B12 deficiency is a compounding factor in the metabolic etiology of anemia along with folate, and this may be one of the plausible reasons for ineffectiveness of iron supplementation in reducing the incidence of anemia in Indian population. We therefore believe that there is a compelling reason to include vit-B12 & folate in the supplement regimen to alleviate the disease burden of anemia in Indian population.