Sex work is considered one of the most primal professions in India. In India, there were traditions of sex work like the Devadasi and Tawaif systems. Many ancient texts from India mention prostitution in various forms. Over time, the higher status has shifted to stigmatisation and forced labour for sex workers. This chapter gives a trailer about the status of sex workers historically and contemporarily. It includes the history of sex work in India, its magnitude and current status, the legal status of sex work in India, the perception of the larger society about sex workers and the schemes and policies for sex workers in India. In conclusion, the sex workers in India could be seen as not in a great state.