North-Eastern Areas – Scheduled Districts Act of 1874, political and constitutional changes

Over six years after its signing, the Bodoland Accord is yet to usher in substantive changes on the ground [i.e. at the date of pulication in 2002]. […] The Sixth Schedule, extensively amended since the adoption of the Constitution, along with the Fifth Schedule (applicable to the scheduled areas and the Scheduled Tribes outside the … Read more

Tribals’ excellent knowledge of the environment, closer to an ideal society – Odisha, Chhattisgarh & Jharkhand

He is British by birth, but prefers to call himself an Indian. Having lived in this country for three decades now, Felix Padel, the great great grandson of father of evolution Charles Darwin, has closely worked on Adivasis in eastern India. A freelance anthropologist trained at Oxford and Delhi University, Padel has also authored a … Read more

“Tribal development so far is mechanical, ineffectual, and vague”: An Anthropological Dialogue on Tribal Development Strategies in India

The concept of development has different connotations in different contexts. In a narrow sense, ‘it means, change, and progress, either whole or, partial’. There are people with difference of opinion regarding development. […] In 1951, the government of Indiahad started making efforts to raise the general standard of living of the weaker sections as well … Read more

Madia and Madia Gond communities – Maharashtra & Chhattisgarh

Learn more about the Madia community, locate it on a map, view a series of photos and watch a series of videos >> Lalsu Nogoti is an independent elected member of the Zila Parishad in the district of Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. He is also the first lawyer from the Madia Gond Adivasi community in that district. … Read more

India’s tribal cultural heritage – Haryana