A historical plea to ‘secure the advancement of the tribals without disturbing the essential harmony of their life and secure their integration without imposition’: Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes Commission – Government of India

Indians are truly rooted in an ethos of living in harmony with their land. There was a time when the Indian subcontinent was carpeted in green… watered by glacial rivers, blessed by rolling hills and productive grasslands, lush rainforests and wave-kissed mangroves. All creatures, great and small, found niches here and thrived. Varied cultures were … Read more

The uniqueness of Pithora art and the jewellery: Creative expressions of Bhil and Bhilala communities – Madhya Pradesh

Be it the depiction of countryside, weddings, festivals or celebrations – Pithora art, made by tribals of Aadharkaanch in Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh, celebrates different realities of rural living. The paintings are usually canvased on cloth, paper, card boards and walls with natural and synthetic colors. Traditionally, Pithora like every other form of painting originated … Read more

“India is unique in having a highly sophisticated minority rights protection system for its Scheduled Tribes”: Constitutional provisions and their implementation

The highly heterogeneous Adivasi (“original inhabitants”) represent India’s de facto indigenous peoples. De jure, however, they are not recognised as indigenous and are instead designated as Scheduled Tribes in the Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. India is unique in having a highly sophisticated minority rights protection system for its Scheduled Tribes, which is, however, … Read more

Land rush and sustainable food security by MS Swaminathan

M.S. Swaminathan (Chairman, MSSRF, and Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha) Managing our soil and water resources in a sustainable and equitable manner needs a new political vision, which can be expressed through the proposed Land Acquisition Bill and the recently formed Global Soil Partnership. […] It has been estimated that 50 million to 80 million … Read more