An actinomycin-D producing strain was isolated from soil and characterized as Streptomyces sindenensis. The culture was subjected to UV irradiation and a mutant with 400% higher actinomycin-D production was isolated (400 mg/l -1 as compared to 80 mg/l -1 produced by the parent). Production medium was optimized and antibiotic yield with the mutant was enhanced to 850 mg/l -1 which is 963% higher as compared with the parent.