Video | “The Siddis: A Forgotten People”: UN in Action – Gujarat

United Nations – Gujarat in western India is home to more than 20,000 Siddis [Sidhi], an ethnic group of African descent. But today, many live on the fringes of society in poverty. One young man is fighting to protect their unique heritage – as well as their close ties with the remaining Asiatic lions of the … Read more

Map | A virtual journey across time and space

Whatever our own cultural background, there are amazing discoveries to be made, for India’s youth just as for scholars and visitors from all over the world! Learn more about – and from – some of India’s tribal communities by Gondi-Harappan link (2500 B.C.–1750 BC) Hampi – KarnatakaPossibly “a revolutionary find” that links the adivasi Gond tribe to the … Read more

Learning from tribal communities: Ecology and health issues

For a natural balance A National Consultation on Wildlife Conservation and People’s Livelihood Rights stresses the need to work towards conservation projects that are equally sensitive to the needs of wildlife and local communities. […] The venue of the workshop thus offered a good opportunity for the participants to look at the collaborative work of … Read more

Figures carefully drawn with attention to detail, proportion and symmetry – rock art discovery in Tamil Nadu

A big rock art site has been discovered at Kovanur, Perianaickenpalayam taluk, 30 km northwest of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. The site has about 60 paintings, both group compositions and individual images. The paintings portray the hunting of an elephant and a herd of deer, and images of a tiger, herds of bisons, a monitor … Read more

Tiger conservation and tourism – its impact on the people in and around the tiger reserves

The Supreme Court order [2012] to ban tourism in core tiger reserves, and decisions to shoot poachers at sight find favour with some conservationists, the middle class and media. But what will their impact be on the people who live in and around the tiger reserves, asks Tarsh ThekaekaraTiger numbers are on the rise. Not … Read more