More than a question of terminology: ‘Adivasi’, ‘Indigenous Peoples of India’, ‘Vanvasi’, ‘Vanyajati’, and the administration of constitutional privileges for ‘Scheduled Tribes’ (ST)

A Contentious Term to denote Tribes as Indigenous Peoples of India | Full article >> In India the term ‘Adivasi’ has gained immense popularity in the last few decades to identify the tribes. This term is more commonly brought to use by the NGO circles and activists of the ‘mainstream’ or ‘mainland’ India. The term has also … Read more

The Great Story-Wall Project – storytelling tour across India

There is a need to reclaim descriptions of the tribes; the onus must reside with the tribes themselves, since they have endured these portrayals for far too long. Richard Kamei in “Uncivilising the Mind: How anthropology shaped the discourse on tribes in India” (Caravan Magazine, 1 March 2021) The Great Story-Wall is a 100 metre … Read more

Tribal populations’ risk of cardiovascular diseases due to urbanization – study by Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Calcutta

PRASUN BHATTACHARYA, The Telegraph, March 19 , 2008 Rapid urbanisation in the hills is exposing the Bhutias to mounting levels of stress and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, says a recently published study that contradicts the traditional belief that the members of the tribal community are characterised by their strong heart. […] Lifestyle factors like fat-rich food, … Read more