Introduction <p>: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection widely implicated in causing genital warts and cervical cancer. It is also increasingly recognized for its prognostic role in head and neck cancers. In the head and neck region, HPV can cause warts, laryngeal papillomatosis, and oropharyngeal carcinoma. In the United States, 60–70% of oropharyngeal cancers are attributed to HPV. In India, however, the majority of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are caused by tobacco smoking. HPV detection rates in Indian studies range from 22 to 47%. P16 is a surrogate marker for HPV infection.</p> Aim <p>To determine the prevalence of p16 expression—a surrogate marker for HPV infection in tonsillar tissue of children undergoing tonsillectomy for chronic tonsillitis, and to explore potential implications for early detection of subclinical HPV exposure.</p> Materials and methods <p>A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in South India over a period of two years. Children undergoing tonsillectomy for chronic tonsillitis were included in the study. A total of 120 samples were tested.</p> Results <p>Four out of 120 samples tested positive for the marker.</p> Conclusion <p>6.7% of the study population tested positive for p16, the implications of which warrant further investigation.</p>