Isolation of genomic DNA from Mycobacterium species has been a tedious procedure. This can primarily be attributed to thick and waxy cell wall of mycobacteria which hampers lysis of the bacterial cell. We have tested various approaches to isolate mycobacterial DNA and based on this, an optimized protocol is presented here. This protocol involves initial incubation of mycobacteria with lysozyme, followed by SDS-proteinase K treatment to bring about cell disruption. In the case of slowly growing mycobacteria such as BCG (Bacillus Calmette–Guérin) or Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis), an intermediate step of cell lysis by physical method results in significantly enhanced yield.