The Indian Science News Association was established in 1935 with the initiative of Professor Meghnad Saha and Acharya P.C. Ray with an objective to disseminate science news as well as the reflection of the community of Indian scientists and thinkers for public understanding of science and culture together. To meet this goal the Association has been publishing a journal Science and Culture from its inception. In addition it organises seminars, symposia, memorial and endowment lectures etc. Since 1983 ISNA is conducting a course of 10-12 weeks duration on Science Communication and Media Practice for young aspirants who want to be science communicators.

The first Council of the Association was comprised of Acharya P.C. Ray as its President, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, Sir U.N. Brahmachari and Dr. S.C. Law as Vice-Presidents, Prof. M.N. Saha and Prof. Bidhubhusan Ray as Secretaries and Prof. N.R. Sen as Treasurer. Annual general meetings of ISNA were graced by the presence of personalities like S.S. Bhatnagar, Humayun Kabir, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and many others.

The Association was initially formed and sustained by the generous personal financial support received from a few philanthropists like Sir U.N. Brahmachari, Acharya P.C. Ray, Dr. S.C. Law, Dr. B.C. Law, Shri G.D. Birla, Shri M.N. Sur and others. A few institutions and organisations like the University of Calcutta. Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Indian Science Congress Association, Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Ltd., M/S. Adair Dutta & Co. Pvt. Ltd., Sur Enamel & Stamping Works Ltd., Burma Oil Company etc. also came forward and extended their support.