This study investigates the relationship between the use of language learning strategy and English proficiency of below average Indian ESL students who registered for a summer course in 2012 at a private university in South India. Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) and an institutional version of Test of English for Foreign Languages (TOEFL) were administered to under-achievers of an engineering course who registered for a summer course out of willingness to enhance their academic performance. Results from SILL showed that these below average students' total average use of strategies fell under medium level. Moreover, the study also concentrated on the difference in strategy use across gender and Board of Studies at school. The TOEFL scores revealed that this sample of under-achievers had low proficiency levels in English. The study found a linear relationship between the low proficiency students and their overall strategy use. This indicated that the most frequent users of language learning strategy among the under achievers scored comparatively higher scores in TOEFL. In addition, the study revealed that the least use of metacognitive and cognitive strategies was the reason for these students becoming unsuccessful learners. Thus, the study concluded that explicit training in language learning strategy use with due consideration to gender and Board of Studies, might increase the English proficiency and academic performance of these below average Indian students.