Abstract: Recycling of crop residues in agriculture through production of compost brings the much needed organic matter to the soils in tropical climates. The aim of the study was to monitor the chemical changes during composting of rice straw and analysis of maturity parameters of prepared compost. The unchopped paddy straw soaked in 0.1% urea solution was stacked in windrows. Composting was studied by using three different inocula i.e., cattle dung, biogas slurry and consortium of three fungi (Aspergillus awamorii, Paecilomyces fusisporus and Trichoderma viride). The level of moisture was maintained to 60% water holding capacity (WHC) by adding water at different intervals. At 90 days of composting, maximum 17.4% decrease in organic C was observed in the treatment containing consortium of three fungi and C:N ratio of compostable material decreased from 73.7 to 16.6. Cellulase activity increased from 88 (control untreated paddy straw) to 252 mg reducing sugar kg-1 dry matter h-1 at 30 days of composting by using fungal inoculum. Xylanase activity also varied from 9 to 111 mg reducing sugar kg-1 dry matter h-1. Total humic substances in finished product were 121 and 127 mg g-1 compost with consortium of fungi and with cattle dung, respectively. Carbon dioxide evolution in finished product by using cattle dung and consortium of three fungi as inoculum was 188 and 174 mg 100 g-1 compost, respectively. About 81 to 87% seeds of wheat and 78 to 86% seeds of mustard showed germination in compost water extract. This study showed that cattle dung and consortium of three fungi could be used for carrying out rice straw composting at farmer’s field.