Terminalia bellerica Roxb. (Belleric myrobalan) is one of the important multipurpose trees in central India. The fruits of the tree are highly valued for medicinal uses, with the greatest demand coming from the pharmaceutical industry. This has resulted in overexploitation and present harvesting practices have led to a significant decline in natural regeneration for this tree species. Our study was conducted from 2006 to 2009 in Chhattisgarh (India) to standardize suitable harvesting practices for sustainable management for this valuable species. Experiments were conducted at four different sites located in Dhamtari, Sarguja, and Raigarh forest divisions of the state, covering both protected and open forest in a complete randomized block design (RCBD). At each site, linear transects of 200 m × 100 m (2 ha) were randomly selected to sample the initial population and study the effects of two harvesting methods (traditional and nondestructive) and four harvesting intensities (60%, 70%, 80%, and 90%) on the sustainability of T. bellerica. Fruits were collected and analyzed for their tannin and gallic acid content. Significant increase in tannin and gallic acid content was found with the maturity of fruits (September to December). This is the first study to experimentally assess the consequences of harvesting of T. bellerica fruits in central India. Our findings reveal that harvesting intensity, time, and method are key factors for maintaining the population. Nondestructive harvesting methods were found to be superior to traditional harvesting in terms of regeneration, recruitment, and concentration of active ingredients. When the fruits were harvested through non-destructive means at maturity, the population of species increased. The study concludes that 70% harvest of T. bellerica fruits through non-destructive means maintains the sustainability and provides quality raw material for the pharmaceutical industry. © 2014 Northeast Forestry University and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.