Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed for optimization of medium components and cultural parameters in cost effective cane molasses based medium for attaining high yield of succinic acid. The important factors obtained by "one-variable-at-a-time- approach" ( cane molasses, corn steep liquor, sodium carbonate, and inoculum density) were further optimized by RSM. The optimum values of the parameters obtained through RSM ( cane molasses 12.5%, corn steep liquor 7.5%, and sodium carbonate 25 mM) led to almost double yield of succinic acid (15.2 g/l in 36 h) as against "one-variable-at- a-time-approach" (7.1 g/l in 36 h) in 500-ml anaerobic bottles containing 300-ml cane molasses based medium. Subsequently, in 10-1 bioreactor succinic acid production from Escherichia coli was further improved to 26.2 g/l in 30 h under conditions optimized through RSM. This fermentation-derived succinic acid will definitely help in replacing existing environmentally hazardous and cost-intensive chemical methods for the production of succinic acid.