Figures, census & other statistics

“India is home to nearly 20 Cr. [200 million] traditional forest-dwelling Adivasis and OTFDs [other forest dwelling communities], who derive their subsistence and livelihoods from forest and forest resources over several generations and thousands of years.” – Research team (Sayantani Satpathi, Shambhavi Singh & Subhodeep Basu) in “Revisiting the Forest Rights Act: Status of Implementation with respect to Land Tenures and Collection of Minor Forest Produce” (Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation New Delhi, 12 July 2019)
https://www.academia.edu/41756309
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=10151

Delicately woven “rain hats”: Beautifully made by Adivasis up in the hills – Odisha

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Make in India – with bamboos and leavesFarmers, labourers and shepherds in rural Odisha wear delicately woven ‘rain hats’ while working. Made by Adivasis, they’re sold by small vendors, who carry them on bicycles across long distances […] Source: P. Sainath in “Make in India – with bamboos and leaves”URL: https://ruralindiaonline.org/articles/make-in-india—with-bamboos-and-leaves/Date visited: 5 September 2020 … Read more

Tip | Indigenous innovations, how to help tribal kids reach school on time, creating awareness of women’s health and other success stories – The Better India

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Our community health workers and village co-ordinators have been leading from the front in responding to the needs of all the tribals across 320 hamlets, putting their lives at-risk while ensuring the safety of others. […] And to engage children during the lockdown, we at the Vidyodaya Maths and Science Resource Centre have created a … Read more

Joint efforts, not denials, make India a safer place for girls and women – West Bengal & Madhya Pradesh

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Why am I returning repeatedly to the theme of rape, I puzzled, as I began this blog post. Because, I realized, the problem’s become worse, not better. Rape stories are headlined practically every day. This morning, I read that a 14-year-old girl was gang-raped in my home state of West Bengal. […] Even worse, the Chief … Read more

The Asurs’ remembrance of their ancestors: A ‘particularly vulnerable’ tribal group – Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh & West Bengal

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Chamru is an Asur, a ‘particularly vulnerable tribal group’ that dominates Sakhuapani’s population of about 2,000 and lives in villages spread over a radius of 10 to 20 km. Besides Jharkhand, members of the tribe live in pockets of Bihar, West Bengal and a few other states. The 2011 Census put the number of Asurs at … Read more

Celebrating health, peace and prosperity among the Monpa community of Tawang: The Losar festival (February-March) – Arunachal Pradesh

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Tawang is one of the most beautiful hill stations you can ever visit during your travel to India. It is also an important center for Buddhist learning, something that attracts people from all across the world. […] The Losar Festival is among the most important festivals celebrated in Tawang. Losar is celebrated by the Monpas … Read more