Racial Groups

• India is a multicultural and polygenetic country, showcasing immense socio-cultural and genetic diversity.
• It is the second most populous nation in the world (after China).
• The ethnic composition is predominantly Aryan (north) and Dravidian (south).
• India is known for its cultural and linguistic diversity, with over 1,500 languages and dialects spoken.
• The Indian Constitution recognizes 15 major regional languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, and others.
• Hindi (north) and English (used in politics and commerce) serve as official languages.
• Religious composition: ~80% Hindus, ~14% Muslims, with minorities of Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and others.
• There is no state religion in India, ensuring secularism in governance.
• Unity in diversity is a hallmark of Indian society, where people of different religions and communities coexist peacefully.
• Indian population represents an amalgamation of various races and cultures, preserving individual identities over centuries.
• Anthropologists are committed to understanding the diverse information and dynamic nature of communities and populations.
• India, with a population of over 1,000 million, is recognized as one of the world’s top twelve mega-diversity countries.
• The country hosts a wide spectrum of societal groups, ranging from:
  • Stone-age food gatherers
  • Traditional agriculturists
  • People involved in mechanized and chemicalized agriculture
  • Modern mechanized fishing
  • Offshore oil and gas extraction
  • Atomic power plant operations
  • Software development and IT industries
• According to Bhasin and Walter (2001):
  • India is home to over 4,000 populations
  • Around 3,700 endogamous groups exist within the Hindu caste system, known as ‘Jatis’
  • About 1,000 Mendelian populations represent autochthonous (indigenous) and religious communities
• India is a social cauldron where the forces of unity (unification) and diversity (fragmentation) operate simultaneously and continuously.

Racial Elements of India

• Anthropologists distinguish racial groups based on:
  • Common origin
  • Defined geographical regions
  • Characteristic physical features
• Modern humans are biologically uniform and belong to a single species – Homo sapiens.
• Yet, regional physical variations have led to classifications into racial types.
• The Indian population is racially complex due to historic migrations and racial admixture.

Classification of Racial Elements in India (by Sir Herbert Risley)

S.No.	Racial Group	Morphological Features	Regions / Communities
1	Dravidian	– Skin: Very dark – Hair: Dark, curly – Head: Long – Eyes: Dark – Nose: Very broad – Stature: Short	South India (Paniyans), Santals of Chota Nagpur
2	Indo-Aryan	– Skin: Fair – Hair: Brown to black, wavy/curly – Head: Long – Eyes: Dark – Nose: Long, narrow – Stature: Tall	Rajasthan, Punjab, Kashmir (Rajputs, Khattris, Jats)
3	Mongoloid	– Skin: Dark with yellowish tinge – Hair: Dark, straight – Head: Broad – Eyes: Oblique, epicanthic fold – Nose: Fine to broad – Stature: Short to medium	Lahul, Kulu, Lepchas, Limbus of Nepal
4	Aryo-Dravidian	– Skin: Light brown to dark – Hair: Dark brown/black, wavy/curly – Head: Long (tending medium) – Eyes: Dark – Nose: Medium to broad – Stature: Short-medium	Uttar Pradesh, Rajputana, Bihar, Sri Lanka
5	Mongolo-Dravidian	– Skin: Dark – Hair: Black, wavy – Head: Broad to medium – Eyes: Dark – Nose: Medium to broad – Stature: Short to medium	Bengali Brahmins, Kayasthas, Muslims
6	Scytho-Dravidian	– Skin: Fair – Hair: Dark brown/black, wavy/curly – Head: Medium to broad – Eyes: Dark – Nose: Medium – Stature: Medium	Western India (Maharashtrian Brahmins, Kunbis, Coorgs)
7	Turko-Dravidian	– Skin: Fair – Hair: Medium brown/black, wavy/curly – Head: Broad – Eyes: Dark, grey – Nose: Fine to medium – Stature: Tall	Baluchis, Brahuis, Afghans

Classification of Racial Elements in India by Giufridarugerri (1921)

S.No.	Racial Group	Examples / Characteristics
1	Negrito	Veddas and Kadars of South India
2	Pre-Dravidian / Australo-Veddic	Santal, Ho, Munda, Oraons – Tribal populations of Central and Eastern India
3	Dravidian	Tamil and Telugu-speaking populations in Southern India
4	Tall Dolicocephalic Group	Todas of the Nilgiris – Tall stature, long-headed (dolicocephalic)
5	Dolicocephalic Aryan	Indo-Afghans, Indo-Iranians – Fair-skinned, long-headed, tall stature
6	Brachycephalic Leucoderm	Armenians, Georgeanus – Fair-skinned, broad-headed (brachycephalic) types

Classification of Racial Elements in India – A.C. Haddon (1924)

Region	Racial Group	Morphological Features	Distribution / Examples
(a) Himalayan Region	Himalayan Type	• Skin: Olive Brown to Coppery Brown • Hair: Coarse • Head: Broad • Face: Broad • Nose: Short, flat • Eyes: Narrow, oblique • Stature: Short	People of Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Assam
	Indo-Aryan	• Skin: Brown (varied tones) • Head: Long • Nose: Long • Stature: Tall	Kanets of Kulu Valley
	Mongoloid	• General Mongoloid features	Lepcha, Garo, Naga, Khasi (Northeast India)
(b) Northern Plains / Hindustan	Indo-Afghan	• Skin: Light Brown • Hair: Black, Wavy • Head: Long • Face: Long • Eyes: Dark • Nose: Fine, prominent • Stature: Medium to Tall	Jats, Rajputs
(c) Southern Plateau / Deccan	Negrito	• Skin: Dark • Head: Medium • Nose: Flat • Hair: Black • Eyes: Brown	Kadars of Cochin, Urallis of Nilgiris, Andamanese
	Pre-Dravidian	• Skin: Dark Brown to Black • Hair: Dark, Curly • Head: Long • Eyes: Dark • Nose: Broad • Stature: Short	Bhil, Gond, Oraon, Santal
	Dravidian	• Skin: Brownish Black • Hair: Dark • Head: Long • Eyes: Dark • Nose: Medium • Stature: Medium	Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada speakers
	Southern Brachycephals	• Skin: Brown • Head: Medium to Broad • Nose: Medium	Panyan (Tamil Nadu), Pavara (Tinnevelly Coast)
	Western Brachycephals	• Skin: Light Brown • Head: Broad • Nose: Long • Stature: Tall	Nagar Brahmans of Gujarat, people from Gujarat to Coorg

Classification of Racial Elements in India – Egon Freiherr von Eickstedt (1934)

S.No.	Racial Group	Sub-Type	Morphological Features	Distribution / Examples
1	Weddid (Ancient Indians)	(i) Gondid	• Skin: Dark Brown	Juangs, Bhils, Oraons, Gonds (Central India)
		(ii) Malid	• Skin: Dark Brown • Hair: Curly • Stature: Short	Kurumbers, Weddahs (South India)
2	Melanid (Black Indians)	(i) South Melanid	• Skin: Black	Yanadis
		(ii) Kolid	• Skin: Black Brown • Hair: Dark, Curly • Stature: Short	Munda, Ho, Santal
3	Indid (New Indians)	(i) Gracile Indid	• Skin: Brown	Bengalis
		(ii) North Indid	• Skin: Light Brown	Rajputs (North India)
4	Palae-Mongoloid	—	• Show Mongoloid physical traits	Northeastern populations (not specified)

Classification of Indian Races – B.S. Guha (1937)

S.No.	Racial Group	Sub-Type / Category	Morphological Features	Distribution / Examples
1	Negrito	—	• Skin: Dark brown to black • Hair: Woolly • Head: Small, round, medium or long • Nose: Flat & broad • Stature: Very short (pygmy-like)	Kadars, Pulayans
2	Proto-Australoid	—	• Skin: Dark brown • Hair: Dark, wavy/curly • Head: Long • Nose: Broad • Stature: Short	Urali, Baiga (Rewa), Chenchu, Kannikar, Kondh, Bhil, Santal, Oraon
3	Mongoloid	(i) Palaeo-Mongoloid – Long-headed	• Skin: Dark to light brown • Hair: Straight • Head: Long • Face: Short, flat • Nose: Medium • Stature: Medium	Sema Nagas (Assam), Limbus (Nepal)
		(i) Palaeo-Mongoloid – Broad-headed	• Skin: Dark • Head: Broad • Eyes: Oblique with epicanthic fold • Nose: Medium • Stature: Medium	Lepchas (Kalimpong), Chakmas, Maghs (Chittagong)
		(ii) Tibeto-Mongoloid	• Skin: Light brown • Hair: Straight • Head: Broad, massive • Face: Long, flat • Nose: Long to medium • Stature: Tall	Tibetans of Bhutan and Sikkim
4	Mediterranean	(i) Palaeo-Mediterranean	• Skin: Dark • Hair: Wavy/curly • Head: Long, narrow • Face: Narrow • Nose: Small, broad • Stature: Medium	Tamil Brahmans (Madura), Nairs (Cochin), Telugu Brahmans
		(ii) Mediterranean	• Skin: Light • Hair: Dark • Head: Long • Face: Long • Nose: Narrow, prominent • Eyes: Dark brown • Stature: Medium to tall	Namboodiris (Cochin), people of Allahabad, Bengal, Marathas
		(iii) Oriental	• Similar to Mediterranean type • Nose: Long, convex	Punjabi Chettris, Pathans
5	Western Brachycephals	(i) Alpinoid	• Skin: Light • Hair: Dark brown, wavy • Head: Broad • Face: Round • Eyes: Dark brown • Nose: Prominent • Stature: Medium	Bania (Gujarat), Kathi (Kathiawar), Kayasthas (Bengal)
		(ii) Armenoid	• Similar to Dinaric in appearance	Parsis (Bombay)
		(iii) Dinaric	• Skin: Darker • Hair: Dark • Head: Broad • Face: Long • Nose: Very long, convex • Eyes: Dark • Stature: Tall	Brahmans (Bengal), Kanarese Brahmans (Mysore)
6	Nordics	—	• Skin: Fair • Hair: Brown to dark, wavy • Head: Long • Eyes: Bluish • Nose: Fine, narrow • Face: Long, straight • Stature: Tall	People of Punjab, Rajputana, Kaffirs, Kathash

Classification of Racial Elements in India – S.S. Sarkar (1961)

S.No.	Cephalic Type	Racial Sub-Type	Morphological Features	Distribution / Examples
1	Dolicocephals	(i) Australoid	• Skin: Dark • Hair: Dark, wavy • Head: Long • Eyes: Dark • Nose: Broad • Stature: Short	Urali, Kannikar, Malapantaram, Paniyan, Kadar (South India)
2		(ii) Indo-Aryan	• Skin: Light • Hair: Brownish dark • Head: Long, massive • Eyes: Not dark • Stature: Tall	Baltis of the Hindukush
3		(iii) Mundari-Speakers	• Skin: Lighter • Hair: Dark, thick, straight • Head: Long • Stature: Short	Santhal, Juang, Savara (Chota Nagpur, Orissa Hills, MP)
4	Mesocephals	(iv) Irano-Scythian	• Skin: Light brown • Head: Medium	Not specifically mentioned
5	Brachycephals	(v) Far Eastern	• Skin: Dark • Head: Broad • Stature: Short	Tuticorin – Tinnevelly coast (Tamil Nadu)
6		(vi) Mongolian	• Skin: Yellowish • Eyes: With Mongoloid fold	North-Eastern India and Himalayan foothills

Criticisms of Racial Classifications

1. Risley’s Classification

• Criticized particularly for the categories Scytho-Dravidian and Mongolo-Dravidian.
• Aryan language speakers are widely spread in India, but Risley restricted them to Punjab, Rajputana, and Kashmir.
• Stated that Bengali broad-headed individuals were influenced by Mongoloid races, which lacks factual support.
• Claimed South Indians speak Dravidian language yet contradicted this by stating they do not speak Dravidian or have distinct features.
• Failed to acknowledge the Negrito racial element in India.

2. Giufrida-Ruggeri’s Classification

• Oversimplified and not detailed enough to reflect the diverse physical variations found among Indian populations.

3. Haddon’s Classification

• Major drawback: Did not account for the Pre-Aryan populations of India.

4. Eickstedt’s Classification

• Faced some academic criticism.
• However, it was considered to have great potential and was improved upon by B.S. Guha’s model.

5. Guha’s Classification

• The Negrito element was widely criticized by many anthropologists.
• He suggested that all racial elements in India have foreign origins, which was highly debated.

6. Sarkar’s Classification

• Though more convincing than previous classifications, modern anthropologists continue to revise and debate it.
• Emphasizes that races are dynamic, not static — they evolve due to intermarriage and environmental factors.

Ethnic Elements of India

• Ethnic Group: A combination of biological and socio-cultural traits.
• Includes Castes, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Communities.
• According to Bhasin and Walter:
  • A community is defined as a group of people sharing occupational, religious, linguistic, or regional identities.