In 1930, Mr. Mohammad Manal founded The Himalaya Drug Company in India. He had a mission, to make quality phytopharmaceuticals available to the public in standardized packages. A hand operated tablet punching machine was an important part of the company then. Several cranks with the hand were needed to process herbal mixtures into single pills. Mr. Manal would log long hours compressing sufficient pills for sale till the early hours of the morning, retiring to bed with his shoulder in agony.

Curiosity led to the creation of the world's first anti-hypertensive drug. On a visit to Burma, Mr. Manal noticed the locals feeding a certain root to elephants. On enquiry, he found that the root had the ability to calm the elephants. He brought back samples of the root and on testing them scientifically, discovered that not only was the root (Rauwolfia serpentina) a tranquilizer, but it also demonstrated anti-hypertensive properties. After extensive research and development on Rauwolfia, The Himalaya Drug Company introduced Serpina and gave the world its first ever anti-hypertensive drug.

Firm in the belief that homeostasis and happiness went hand-in-hand, a while later, Mr. Manal founded a humor club in Mumbai, naming it humour unlimited.

The current chairman Mr. Meraj A. Manal, son of the founder, continues to run the organization with the same spirit as his father.