2.1　Introduction

Tropical calcific pancreatitis（TCP）was first described more than half a century ago as a rapidly progressing disease with onset in childhood and adolescence，recurrent abdominal pain，marked ductal dilation，presence of unusually large calculi and pronounced malnourishment.Majority of such cases were reported from Southern India.Over the last two decades，there has been a noticeable change in the clinical presentation of the disease.This has forced the researchers to re-evaluate the underlying causes.Consequently，while many of the earlier presumptions have been challenged，several new evidences are emerging.For instance，instead of macronutrient deficiency，role of micronutrient deficiencies is being investigated.Additionally，genetic and molecular studies have taken the center stage to understand the pathobiology.In this chapter，we discuss the evolution of the phenotypic presentation of TCP and role of emerging genetic risk factors associated with the disease.Majority of the data cited/presented represents the work originating from India.(https://www.daowen.com)