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Aromatic rice is considered an important commodity in the global market because of its strong aroma and eating and cooking quality. Asian countries, such as India and Pakistan, are the leading traders of Basmati rice, whereas Thailand is the major supplier of Jasmine rice in the international market. The strong aroma of rice is associated with more than 300 volatile compounds, among which 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) is the principal component. 2-AP is a phenotypic expression of spontaneous mutations in the recessive gene OsBadh2 or Badh2. The present review focuses on the origin, evolution and diversity of genetic resources of aromatic rice available worldwide. A brief discussion is presented on the genes responsible for quality traits along with details of their molecular genetics. This compilation and discussion will be useful for future breeding programs and the biofortification of quality traits of aromatic rice to ensure food security and nutritional need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]