Ashok Laboratory, Centre for Transfusion Medical and Clinical Research (Blood Bank) was set up in 1994 under the guidance of eminent haematologist Dr. Dilip Kumar Bhattacharya. The main force behind this endevour was Dr. Ratnamala Roy, the founder of Ashok Laboratory. This was the first blood bank in West Bengal. This was set up only to collect, process and supply blood to the ailing populace, but also to search for scientific facts in a field relatively unknown at that time. This was incidentally the first blood bank in eastern India to be granted license by both the Central and State Drug Controller's office.
From supplying whole blood, the institution progressed to component separation of whole blood, and has always promoted rational use of transfusion. This was the first blood bank to start automation, and screening for hepatitis C virus even before it was made mandatory by regulating authorities. This was also the first and only stand alone blood bank to screen for HIV antigen. The motto of this blood bank is "quality alone succeeds and nothing else". Presently, the institution is managed by a Trust which has got exemptions under sections 80A and 80G of the Income tax act. Besides arranging for blood collection and distribution, this trust also provides medical help to needy people by arranging medical camps and thalassemia screening camps at blind schools, or during puja times. It also runs campaigns for thalassemia eradication, and provides blood to thalassemia patients for free.