<p>The present investigation was conducted at Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan University to evaluate genetic variability, association estimates and genetic diversity among 37 rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) landraces collected from different regions of Tamil Nadu. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with two replications and assessed for eight biometrical and nine quality traits at morphological and molecular levels. Significant variation was observed among the landraces for all traits, indicating wide genetic diversity. Landraces such as Mysore Malli, Kandasaali and Kullakar showed superior performance for yield and related traits, while Mattaikar was identified as an early-duration, high-yielding type. High phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation, along with high heritability and genetic advance, were recorded for important yield traits, suggesting the predominance of additive gene action and the effectiveness of selection. Correlation and path analyses revealed that productive tillers per plant, panicle length, filled grains per panicle, kernel breadth and amylose content had strong positive effects on yield. Mahalanobis D² analysis grouped the landraces into six clusters, while a limited set of four polymorphic SSR markers grouped them into eight clusters, broadly supporting the morphological diversity pattern. Principal component analysis further revealed that yield traits contributed most to overall variation. The study highlights the importance of traditional rice landraces as valuable genetic resources for rice improvement and breeding programmes.</p>