Department of Chemical Technology, University of Calcutta, 92 Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata-700 009, India E-mail : chemtech@cucc.ernet.in Fax : 91-033-3519755 Manuscript received 10 April 2002. accepted 23 May 2002 Precursor material for compiling zirconia-mullite composite of higher purity has been synthesized through inorganic route applying co-precipitation and gelation techniques. Pressure-less sintering of the compacted mass has yielded product of dense microstructure with generation of tetragonal zirconia dispersed both in the inter- and intragranular position of mullite matrix.