BACKGROUND Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life threatening condition in which respiratory failure occurs due to lung injury caused by various aetiological factors. Acute hypoxemic respiratory failure as occurs in ARDS requires positive pressure ventilation. ARDS is a major cause of morbidity and mortality; and it also leads to major expenditure in intensive care units. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a prospective observational study conducted over a period of one year in Emergency/ICU to study various clinical profiles of ARDS patients. Adult patients who fulfilled the criteria for ARDS according to the Berlin Definition of 2012 were included in the study. RESULTS Clinical profiles of 44 ARDS patients were studied. There was predominance of male gender & young age. The mortality in our study was 54.54%. Non-survivors had significantly more incidence of severe ARDS & sepsis as aetiology of ARDS. On discharge from the ICU, there was no major pulmonary or cardiovascular complications. CONCLUSION Despite lung protective ventilation, mortality and morbidity in ARDS is quite high worldwide. Therefore, high index of clinical suspicion is required to detect it early.