Background: The best method for controlling the airway before surgery is endotracheal intubation. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of esmolol & dexmedetomidine in attenuating hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation. Materials & Methods: 75 adult patients selected for elective surgery under general anaesthesia. In group I patients, 10 ml normal saline was administered 5 minutes before laryngoscopy and intubation. In group II patients, 0.5 mg/kg esmolol IV diluted to 10 ml with distilled water, 5 minutes before laryngoscopy and intubation was used. In group III, patients received 0.5µ/kg of dexmedetomidine IV diluted with distilled water to make 10 ml, 5 minutes before laryngoscopy and intubation. Parameters such as duration of laryngoscopy, HR, SBP, DBP, MAP, RPP, RSS, VAS and dose of propofol was recorded. Results: Age group 21-30 years comprised of 4 patients in group I, 5 in group II and 6 in group III, age group 31-40 years had 6, 7 and 6, 41-50 years had 7, 6 and 8 and 51-60 years had 8, 7 and 5 patients respectively. RPP was 114.2 mmHg/min X 100, 114.2 mmHg/min X 100 and 116.4 mmHg/min X 100, dose of propofol was 102.6, 104.2 and 78.5, RSS was 2.5, 2.2 and 2.9 and VAS was 4.9, 4.1 and 2.9, duration of laryngoscopy was 10.5 minutes, 10.6 minutes and 10.3 minutes, HR (BPM) was 89.2, 89.4 and 86.2, SBP was 131.6 mm Hg, 130.3 mm Hg and 126.5 mm Hg, DBP was 80.5 mm Hg, 81.2 mm Hg and 82.0 mm Hg and MAP was 97.5 mm Hg, 98.3 mm Hg and 99.2 mm Hg in group I, II and III respectively. The difference was non- significant (P> 0.05). Conclusion: During the intraoperative period, intravenous dexmedetomidine preserves haemodynamic stability while reducing the stress reaction to laryngoscopy and intubation. The haemodynamic reaction to laryngoscopy and intubation was more successfully suppressed by dexmedetomidine 0.5 mcg/kg, and intraoperative hemodynamic parameters were kept more constant.