Laryngoscopy is an intense noxious stimulus leading to a surge in catecholamine release potentially having deleterious effects in patients with known cardiac or neurological compromise. This study was undertaken with the aim to observe the efficacy of iv clonidine and iv labetalol premedication for attenuation of hemodynamic response during airway instrumentation in patients posted for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. 90 ASA I patients were randomly allocated into one of the 3 groups; Group C(Clonidine 2mcg/kg), Group L(Labetalol 0.25mg/kg), Group P(normal saline). Patients were premedicated by 1 of the study drug 10 minutes prior to induction of anaesthesia. All patients were induced by a standard protocol. The patients were observed for 3 hours in post anaesthetic care unit after extubation or until there were no signs of any drug induced side effects. Post operative recovery was monitored using Modified Aldrete score. The mean values of heart rates, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, arterial blood pressure, rate pressure product in group C and group L were lower from the baseline at all times after intubation in contrast to group P which displayed values higher than baseline at all times after intubation. There was a significant difference between group C and L as compared with group P but no significant difference between group C and L. Patients who received clonidine displayed more sedation as compared with patients who received labetalol. There were no drug related complications in any patients.