Background: One of the most commonly used anaesthetic procedure in paediatric surgeries is the caudal epidural block. The aim of present study was to compare the effectiveness, duration of analgesia and motor block after a single dose caudal epidural block with either ropivacaine or bupivacaine in children undergoing infra-umbilical surgery. Methods: In a prospective, randomized, double blind study, sixty children, American Society Association Grade I-II, aged between 1 yr and 6 yr of both sex undergoing infraumbilical surgeries were randomly allocated into two equal groups of 30 children each to receive a caudal block with either 1 ml/kg, 0.2% ropivacaine (Group R) or 1 ml/kg, 0.25% bupivacaine (Group B). Standard anaesthesia induction was conducted in all children. After induction, caudal epidural block was performed in lateral position. By the end of surgery, reversal of muscle relaxation was done and children were extubated. Perioperative haemodynamic parameters were noted. Postoperatively, pain score, duration of analgesia, requirement of rescue analgesia and degree of motor blockade were recorded. Results: No significant differences in demographic data as well as duration of surgery were recorded. Haemodynamics were not different in two groups. Postoperative pain score, duration of analgesia and requirement for rescue analgesic were comparable in two groups. However, degree of motor block was significantly less in ropivacaine group. Conclusion: Caudal ropivacaine provides effective analgesia comparable to bupivacaine and as ropivacaine possessing less motor blockade makes it a suitable agent for caudal epidural block in children.