Coat protein gene, rep protein gene and intergenic region of the genome of a whitefly transmitted geminivirus (WTG) causing severe leaf curl in papaya plants were PCR amplified, cloned and sequenced. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of the putative coat protein product of papaya leaf curl virus (PLCV) with some other mono and bipartite WTGs revealed a maximum of 89.8% homology with Indian cassava mosaic virus. The genomic organization of PLCV-India is similar to other WTGs with bipartite genomes. Comparison of the coat protein N-terminal 70 amino acid sequence (and other biological features) of PLCV with other geminiviruses shows that PLCV is a distinct geminivirus from India and is related to WTGs from the old world.