9 Classification of Indian Population

Ms. Gangaina Kameih

Learning outcomes

After studying this module:

You shall be able to understand the human typology i.e. morphological and genetical trait that can be used in classifying the population.
You would learn and identify the Indian population given by different Anthropologists.
You would understand the criticism made by many people based on the given classified Indian population.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction

2. Criteria for Human typology

3. Contribution to the classification of Indian population

3.1. Risley’s (1915) classification

3.2. Giufrida (1921) classification

3.3. A.C.Haddon (1924) classification

3.4. Eickstedt (1934) classification

3.5. B.S. Guha (1931) classification

3.6. S.S. Sarkar (1954) classification

4. Criticism from different Anthropologists

5. Summary

1. Introduction

Throughout the globe there is abundant human variation, inhabitants of different countries are more or less distinct both physically and culturally. This rule of geographic diversity is applicable to animals, plants as well as humans. Homo sapiens are a polytypic species with unique evolutionary pattern. Polytypism in fact is the variability between populations or groups. It is different from polymorphism, which is the variability within populations. But polymorphism serves as a store of genetic raw material for the origin of polytypism. Geographic races are mendelian populations of a species that inhabit different territories and they differ in the incidence of some genes or alleles in their gene pool (B.R.K.Shukla and Sudha Rastogi. 2008). The main responsible for the formation of races are mutation, natural selection, genetic drift, migration, isolation, hybridization, sexual selection and social selection (B.M.Das.2004).

Hooton defined “race” as a great division of mankind, the members of which, though individually varying are characterized as a group by a certain combination of morphological and metrical features, principally non-adaptive, which have been derived from their common descent. Different anthropologists have proposed different classifications of mankind. However, it could be said that there are three major races of man. These are Negroid, Caucasoid and mongoloid. Some anthropologists want to call the Australoids a separate major racial group. In that case there are four major races. All anthropologists have agreed that each of the major races can be divided into certain groups or subgroups (B.M.Das.2004).

Indian population comprising of more than a billion people consists of 4,693 communities with several thousands of endogamous groups, 325 functioning languages and 25 scripts (Singh 2002). In some geographical regions of India, inbreeding is practiced. The population inbreeding coefficient in India varies from 0.00 to 0.20 (Rao 1984; Malhotra and Vasulu 1993; Bittles and Neel 1994). Besides different waves of migration has led to admixture of different ethnic groups, cultures and languages with the native population, thereby contributing significantly to the present day gene pool of the subcontinent (Sankalia 1974; Allchin and Allchin 1982; Bhasin et al. 1994; Gadgil et al 1998). With the exception of Africa, such an extent of genetic diversity is not observed in comparable global regions (Majumdar 1998). Indian population can be, to a large extent, substructured on the basis of their ethnic origin as well as linguistic lineages. All the four major morphological types-Caucasoid, Mongoloid, Australoid and Negrito are present in Indian population (Malhotra 1978). The Caucasoid and Mongoloid populations are mainly concentrated in the north and northeastern parts of India. The Australoids are mostly confined to the central, western and Southern India, while the Negritos are restricted only to the Andaman Islands (Cavallisforza et al. 1994). Linguistically, Indian population belongs to four major language families: Indo-European, Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman and Austro-Asiatic. The Indo-European and Dravidian languages are spoken in the northern and southern parts of India, respectively (Gadgil et al.1998). The Tibeto-Burman speakers are concentrated in the north eakers are exclusively tribals and are dispersed mostly in the central and eastern parts of India. Molecular diversity studies have revealed that Austro-Asiatic speakers are likely to have been the most ancient inhabitants of India (Majumdar 2001; Roychoudhury et al.2001).

After Risley’s classification of the people of India, more attempts have been contributed by different people in the classification of Indian population. Each classification has been attempted in a specific manner. Indian classification given by Risley (1915), Giufrida (1921), A.C.Haddon (1924), Eickstedt (1934), B.S. Guha (1931) and S.S. Sarkar (1954) have been discussed below accordingly.

2. Criteria for Human typology

Ever since the recognition of human variability, attempts have been made to understand not only the extent of variability but also to decipher groups of humans having characteristics features peculiar to them. The questions of a broadly acceptable and clear cut classification of mankind have engaged the attention of anthropologist in general and physical anthropologist in particular. Consequently, the earlier anthropological literature is largely devoted to an evaluation and assessment of observable somatic characteristics like skin color, hair form, texture and color, head shape, nose form, etc. Before such criteria were used only for the purpose of human taxonomy. Later it was realized that these observable traits by and large are not objective, as the observers are likely to make different interpretations and categorizations of a particular observation say skin color or hair form etc. With this realization, emphasis gradually shifted to such trait which can be measured and reduce to mathematical expression and that is how the somatic measurements came to be considered as criteria for human typology. This naturally resulted into a critical evaluation of the techniques of measurement and their standardizations. It was believed that accurate measurements would enable us to work out better and dependable classification of the human species, and also help in understanding the process of human evolution. Therefore, volumes of literature appeared on this subject and morphological and metric traits continued to be used extensively. After the introduction of the genetics and the availability of the details of such genetical characteristics as blood groups, physical anthropologist could not stop the temptation of using genetical characteristics in ethnic discrimination. With more clarifications and realizations of the better dependability of genetical traits, gradually the emphasis changed in their favor and they were adopted in human taxonomic studies. Today, we know that numerous genetic characteristics with known mode to inheritance are being used as criteria for human typology. Thus we find that broadly speaking, the characteristics that may be used for the establishment of physical grouping of mankind are either morphological or genetical or both (Fig. 3).

Figure 3: Morphological and genetical traits of the three major races of man

3. Contribution to the classification of Indian population

3.1. Risley’s (1915) Classification

Sir Herbert Hope Risley attempted to solve racial problem with the help of anthropometry. His attempted is regarded as a landmark in the study of man in India. Risley published his results in 1908 in his book “the people of India”. In 1915, he classified Indian people into seven ethnic types as given below:

1. The Turko-Iranian: They are found in Baluchistan and Afghanistan. Their representatives are the Pathans who are found in some parts of north-west India as a minority group. They are well built, tall statured, with fair complexion, long head, and moderate to narrow nose. They have plenty of hair on their face.

2. Indo-Aryan: The Indo-Aryan tribes migrated into India from Central Asia. They are presently found in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Their main physical traits are tall stature, fair complexion, long arms, long head, narrow and prominent nose, broad shoulders and heavy to slim bodies. Their representative communities are the Rajputs, Khatris, and the Jats of northern India.

3. Scytho-Dravidian: They are an admixture of the Scythians and the Dravidians. Some of the anthropologists hold that the Sakas belong to the Scythian race which came to India from Central Asia. They settled in the Sind Province of Pakistan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The Scythian features are pronounced in higher castes, while the Dravidian features are associated with the lower strata of society. The Marathas are considered to be the representatives of the Scythian-Dravidian race. Their main features are low stature, long head, moderate nose, light brown to fair complexion, and scanty body hair.

4. Aryo Dravidian: It is an amalgamation of the Aryans and the Dravidians. This group is found in parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Their elements are present in both the lower and the upper castes of Brahmins and the Scheduled Castes. Their complexion varies from light brown to black and they have long head, short stature, and medium to broad nose.

5. Mongolo-Dravidian: They are an intermixture of the Mongoloids and the Dravidians. They are mostly found in West Bengal and Orissa (Brahmins and Kayastha). Their characteristics include broad head, dark complexion, flat nose, short to medium stature, and plentiful hair on face.

6. Mongoloid: They are found in the Himalayan and sub-Himalayan regions stretching from Ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir) to Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and the Hill states of North East India. They are of short stature, yellow in complexion, have medium broad nose, flat face, and oblique eyes with an epicanthic fold. Their representatives are the Kinnets of Lahul-Spiti and Kullu, the Lepchas, and Bhutias of Sikkim, and the Tharus of the Tarai region of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

7. Dravidian: They are found particularly in South India (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu), Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, southern Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and southern Rajasthan. Their representatives are the Santhals of Chotanagpur Plateau, the Todas of Nilgiri, the Juangs of Orissa, the Gonds of Bastar, and the Bhils of Rajasthan. They were probably the ancient people of India, but have been influenced by the admixture of Aryans, the Scythians (Ukrainians) and Mongoloid people. They are characterised by short stature, dark complexion, hairy bodies, curly hair, long heads, and broad nose.

He divided the entire population into three basic racial groups with seven sub-types but did not put the aboriginals or tribal people into any separate racial groups. The basic types are: The Dravidians, The Indo-Aryans and The Mongolians.

3.2. Giufrida’s (1921) classification

In 1921, Ruggeri classified people of India into six ethnic types as follows:

1. Negritos: This group is represented by veddas and some South Indian forest tribes.

2. Pre-Dravidian or Australoid: This is represented by Veddaic Santhals, Mundas, Oraons, etc.

3. Dravidians: Telugu and Tamil speaking people belong to this type.

4. Tall dolichocephalics: This element is well represented in Todas

5. Dolichocephalic Aryans: They are also referred to as Homo dolichomorphus brachymorphus.

6.Brachycephalics Leucoderms: They are also referred to as Homo Indo-Europeans brachymorphus.

3.3. A.C.Haddon’s (1924) classification

While reconstructing the racial background of India, A.C. Haddon has classified India into three main geographic regions and has distinguished many races confined to these geographical zones. These zones are as follows:

1. The Himalayan Zone

(a) Indo-Aryan: They resemble Indo-Afghan having tall stature, fair complexion and fine features. But they are characterized by long head and plentiful facial hair. The Kenets of Kullu valley well represented this group. However, they have a trace of the Mongoloid or Tibetan race.

(b) Mongoloid: This is dominating element in Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim, etc.

The ethnic groups of Assam have been classified separately on the basis of nose form and head into the following groups.

(i) The pre-dravidians are characterized by the platyrrhine nose and dolichocephalic head. This element can be easily observed among the Khasi, Kuki, Manipuri, Kachari, etc.

(ii) A group comprising Naga and other hill tribes are characterized by dolichocephalic head and mesorrhine nose.

(iii) The third group represented by Khasis are characterized by medium head and platyrrhine nose.

2. Northern Zone (Hindustan)

The Indo-Gangetic plains are the northern plains and are dominated by the Indo-Afghan ethnic type. They are characterized by dolichocephalic head, straight or convex, prominent nose, long face, and regular feature, medium to tall stature, dark eyes, light brown complexion and black wavy hair. The typical representatives are the Jats and Rajputs, etc. The lower caste people seem to have an admixture of Indo-Afghans with the aboriginal people.

3. Deccan

(a) Negrito: Negrito elements are believed to be represented by Kadars of Cochin, Uralis of Nilgiri hills and Pulliyans of Palni Hills. Generally they have medium head, flat nose, flattened occiput and protruding forehead, Complexion is dark with black hair and brown eyes. Their lips are somewhat fleshy and averted.

(b) Pre-Dravidian: They form the oldest population. They are dolichocephalic, short stature, pltyrrhine people. Their skin color is dark brown to nearly black. Some of the representatives are: Bhil, Gond, Oraon and Santal etc.

(c) Dravidian: Head is dolichocephalic, nose is mesorrhine, stature is medium, skin coloy is brownish black, example Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Canarese, etc. speaking people.

(d) Southern Brachycephals: Head is mesocephalic to brachycephalic and nose is medium. This type is represented by the Panyan in the Tamil district and the Pavara, fishermen of the Tinnely coast.

(e) Western Brachycephals: they are occupying the regions extending from Gujarat to Coorg along the western coast. They have brachycephalic haed, almost leptorrhine nose, light brown complexion and tall statures. Examples: the Nagar Brahmins of Gujarat; the Prabhu etc. They are the Schytho-Dravidians of Risley.

3.4. Eickstedt’s (1934) classification

B.E. Von Eickstedt studied both physical characteristics as well as the cultural material. He classified the people of India into four main divisions as follows:

1. Weddid: They are ancient Indians and are the most primitive people living in forests. They are further divided into two groups:

(a) Gondid: They are characterized by dark brown complexion and curly hair; matriarchal influence and totemistic beliefs are quite apparent. They are known to use mattocks and are represented by Bhils, Gonds, Oraons and juangs.

(b)Malid: They have dark brown skin color and curly hair. Their culture is quite ancient but influence by outside sources. They are represented in Kurumbas, and Vedas.

2. Melanid: Also referred to as black Indian, ethnically they are mixed group and may be divided into two sub-divisions as follows:

(a) Southern Melanid: This type is represented by the Yanadi. Characteristically, they are black-brown in complexion and they inhibit in the southern most plains of India. Matriarchy is present.

(b) Kolid: They belong to North Deccan forest, have strong totemistic beliefs and matriarchal influence and are characterized by their black-brown skin color which is lighter than the southern Melanid.

3. Indid: They are culturally advanced with fine physical characteristics. They are also referred to as Neo-Indians and can be divided into sub-groups as follows:

(a) Gracile Indid: Characterized by brown skin color, they are patriarchal in nature. Generally they have a gracile appearance. The Bengalis represent this group.

(b) North Indid: characterized with light brown skin, they are patriarchal and are well represented by the Raputs and the Todas.

4. Palaeo Mongoloid: They are represented by the Palayan from wynad and are characterized by their yellow skin, straight hair and the presence of epicathic fold.

3.5. B.S. Guha’s (1931) Classification

B.S.Guha classified Indian ethnic types into six divisions. This is based on the original anthropometric measurements made by him during the 1931 census operation. The six ethnic types are as follows:

1. Negrito: They are considered too be the first commoners or immigrants of India. Their physical characteristics are small head which is round, medium or long, nose is straight, flat and broad, very short or pygmy stature, dark brown to dark skin color, wooly hair, bulbous forehead, supraorbital ridges are smooth. In recent years, they are represented in Kadars, Pulayans (Cochin and Travancore), Irular and primitive tribes of the Wynad but at present they are much limited and seem to have been pushed into the hills of South East Asia. Their head form and hair structure are more close to Melanesian Pygmies than to the Andamanese.

2. Proto-Australoid: They are characterized by dolichocephalic head, markedly platyrrhine nose which is depressed at the root, short stature, dark brown skin color, wavy or curly hair, Limbs are delicate, forehead less developed and slightly retreating, supraorbital ridges are often prominent. They are closely akin to the Australian tribes. They markedly differ from the Negritos in having wavy hair instead of the frizzly or woolly of the latter. These are found in the Pulayan women (Trvancore), Urali (Trvancore), Baiga (Rewa), etc. The tribes like Oraon, Munda of Chotanagpur region, Chenchu Kurumba, Bhils and Kols of central and western India.

3. Mongoloid: They are believed to have entered India through North Eastern routes in successive waves of migration. The mongoloids are distinguished by scanty growth of hair on body and face, obliquely set eyes showing epicanthic fold, flat face with prominent cheek bones and straight hair.

(a) Palaeo-Mongoloids: The Palaeo-mongoloid has again subdivided into long headed type and broad headed type. The long headed type possesses long head, medium nose and medium stature. Their cheek bones are prominent, skin color is dark to light brown, short and flat face, supraorbital regions are faintly developed. They inhabit the sub-himalayan region. This type is found in the tribes of Assam and Burma frontier. The Sema Nagas of Assam and Limbus of Nepal are said to be true representatives of this type. The broad-headed type possesses broad head, round face, dark skin color, and medium nose, obliquely set eyes which show marked epicanthic fold. This element is represented by the Lepchas of Kalimpong and in the hill tribes of Chittagong, like the Chakmas, Mughs, etc.

(b) Tibeto-Mongoloid: The head is broad and massive, long and flat face, tall stature, long or medium nose, eyes are oblique having marked epicanthic fold, body hair and facial hair are markedly absent, light brown skin color. They are well represented by the Tibetans of Bhutan and Sikkim. It is believed that they must have infiltered from Tibet in comparatively later times.

4. Mediterranean (Dravidian): They comprise three distinct racial types base on their stature, head, complexion etc.

(a) Palaeo-Mediterranean: They have medium stature, dark skin with slight built. The head is long narrow and vault high with bulbous forehead and slightly projecting occiput. Face is usually narrow, prominent, moderately broad and fleshy. Facial and body hair are scanty. The representatives of this type are the Tamil, Telugu Brahmins and Nayars.

(b) Mediterranean proper: They are characterized by long head with arched forehead, long face, narrow and prominent nose, tall to medium stature, light skin color. They have plentiful body and facial hair, dark hair and eyes brownish to dark brown, chin is well developed. The true representatives are the Numbudiri Brahmins of Cochin, Brahmins of Allahabad, and Maratha women of Indore. The Bengali Brahmins also show this type of characteristics. Probably this type was responsible for the building up of Indus Valley Civilization.

(c) Oriental: This is the latest of the Mediterranean to enter India. It is very similar to the Mediterranean type but differs in the nose which is long and convex. Skin color is of light. They have always been concentrated in Asia Minor and Arabia from where they must have come to India. Their typical representatives are in Punjab, Rajputana and Western Uttar Pradesh.

5. Western Brachycephals: .it is believed that more than one type of broad headed ethnic type entered into the compositions of Indian people. They can be distinguished into three types:

(a) Alpinoid: Characteristics of this type include brad head with rounded occiput, prominent nose and round face. Their complexion is lighter than that found among Mediterranean. Body and facial hair are plentiful. Body is strongly built. They are represented by Bania of Gujarat, the Kathi of Kathiwar and the Kayasthas of Bengal etc.

(b) Dinaric: They are taller in stature with dark skin, hair and eye color. They are characterized by broad head, with rounded occiput and high vault. Nose is very long and often convex. Face is long with forehead receding. This type is well represented in Bengal, Orissa and Coorg. These typical representatives include Bengali Brahmins and Kanarese Brahmins of Mysore.

(c) Armenoid: They show strong similarity with Dinaric. They, however, are characterized by broad head, narrow nose with depressed tip. Their occiput is more marked and nose more prominent than the Dinarics. Tawny white skin color and they are short to medium stature. Parsis of Bombay are typical representatives. Besides Bengali Baidyas and Kayasthas exhibit features.

6. Nordic: They are believed to have come from Central Asia, Turkistan or a little west of the region. They entered India through North-west and settled in Punjab (2000 B.C). They are characterized by long head with arched forehead and protruding occiput. Their face is long with strong jaw; nose is fine, straight and narrow. Moderate to tall stature with robust body built and fair complexion. Their eyes have bluish or greyish tinge.

3.6. S.S. Sarkar’s (1954) classification

Sarkar proposed a classification based on cephalic index. According to him India is predominantly a dolichocephalic country. However mesocephals and brachycephals are also found in appreciable numbers. Sarkar’s analysis indicates that there are six ethnic elements constituting the main types in Indian population. These are as follows:

1. Australoid: The Australoids have been referred to by different names like proto-Australoid, pre-Dravidian and Veddid etc. It may be stated that certain groups of South India like Urali, Paniyan, Kadar etc have preserved the original form of Australoids. Sarkar believes that Australoids form the earliest sub-stratum of the population of India and once were widely distributed throughout the country. It seems that Australoid element is represented in all the castes but it is greatly concentrated among the lower castes. The Australoids are characterized by their short stature, dark complexion, dolichocephalic head, platyrrhine nose and wavy hair.

2. Indo-Aryan: The Indo-Aryans are tall in stature, have lighter complexion and eye color. Their head hair is also lighter than the Australoids. They have a long and massive head with higher cranial capacity and robust body built. Their best representatives are the Baltics of Hindukush Mountain.

3. Irano-Scythian: They are believed to have entered India from the north-west. They are medium statured with mesocephalic head (index 77-79) unlike Indo-Aryans. They are found in Eastern Bihar, Bengal and Assam. Since Irano-Scythians, after their entry into India, also move southwards along the Indua valley and extended to Gujarat, Maharashtra and then to Mysore, Deccan etc, therefore, the population of these regional frequently exhibits the Irano-Scythian element in their physical features.

4. Mundari speaking people: Sarkar describes them as people of stocky built and thick set with short stature, long headed with lighter skin color than the Australoid. Their thick straight hair is nearly similar to those of Mongolian. They are confined to the river valleys and plateaus of eastern central India, i.e., Chota Nagpur, Orissa hills and Madhya Pradesh. They migrated from east and they appear to have some sort of affinities with the Mongoloid.

5. Far Eastern: It is an established fact that from the ancient times India had connection with the Islanders of South-East Asia. Therefore, Malayan Polynesian element is observed to some amount in certain population of eastern littoral, more particularly along the coast of Chittagong hill tracts. Sarkar states that “the Malayan racial strain is distinct from the ethnic elements, mentioned before in having a darker skin color, broad to wavy broad head, short stature with tendency to obesity in general”.

6. Mongolian: Mongolians inhibit the north eastern borders of India and the foothills of Himalayas. They are characterized by yellow tinge complexion, body and facial hair are scanty, Mongolian eye fold and other typical features are present.

4. Criticism from different Anthropologists

Risley’s classification had faced considerable criticism from different authorities, especially in respect of the Dravidians, the Schythio-Dravidian and the Mongoloid Dravidians. Haddon also disagreed with Risley’s classification as he believed that the oldest existing stratum is represented by various pre-Dravidian jungle tribes. However, in his assessment may be the original inhabitants of the Ganges valley in the Western Bengal. The brachycephalic element, according to Haddon is traceable to Alpine immigration. Though Eickstedt attempt is quite appreciable, his classification is not at all convincing. It is open to severe criticism. Though Guha’s classification has been widely accepted and is used in understanding the ethnic element in Indian population, it has not been accepted by some of the authorities and the criticism has been made mainly on the following points: (1) Guha’s findings regarding the Negrito element have been vehemently opposed. (2) Guha considers that India must have been the paradise for the evolutionary diversification different racial types. (3) The extent of branchycephalization as envisaged by Guha has been denied particularly by S.S. Sarkar. (4) The coefficient of racial likelihood which forms the basis of Guha’s ethnic classification has not been accepted universally. According to Sarkar, dolichocephalic is predominant in Indian population.

The presence of Negrito element in Indian population has been a controversial issue since 19th century. And many people gave their own thoughts. In 1959, Sarkar along with his colleagues made a study on various aspects of the physical features such as anthropometry, somatoscopy, ABO blood group, dermatoglyphics traits and hair of the Kadar and conclude that no Negrito element is found among them and they may be listed along with the Paniyan, Kannikar etc as one of the Australoid tribes. However, we cannot rule out completely the possibility of penetrance of Negrito traits into certain population of India, particularly a coastal group. As stated in the above that mutation, natural selection, genetic drift, migration, isolation, hybridization, sexual selection and social selection are main responsible for the formation of races, these factors may happen at any time and affect the population in various ways. Therefore, there must be a Negrito element in Indian population.

5. Summary

1. Introduction

Many scholars have defined the term race but the term Race defined by Hooton is taken to be the most appropriate one.
Anthropologists have agreed that each of the major races can be divided into certain groups or subgroups.
Broadly speaking, all the four major morphological types-Caucasoid, Mongoloid, Australoid and Negrito are present in Indian population. Linguistically, Indian population belongs to four major language families: Indo-European, Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman and Austro-Asiatic.

2. Criteria for human typology

Before, somatic measurements were used only for the pupose of human taxonomy. Later it was realized that these observable traits by and large are not objective, as the observers are likely to make different interpretations and categorizations of a particular observation say skin color or hair form etc. With this realization, emphasis gradually shifted to such trait which can be measured and reduce to mathematical expression and that is how the somatic measurements came to be considered as criteria for human typology.
Likewise, genetical characteristics that were used for human taxonomy are being used as criteria for human typology.
Thus, the characteristics that may be used for the establishment of physical grouping of mankind are either morphological or genetical or both.

3. Contribution to the classification of Indian population

Risley’s classification: He attempted to solve the racial problem with the help of anthropometry. In 1915, he classified Indian people into seven ethnic types such as-The Turko-Iranian, Indo-Aryans, Scytho Dravidian, Aryo-Dravidian, Mongolo-Dravidian, Mongoloid and Dravidian.
Giufrida’s (1921) classification: He classified people of India into six ethnic types such as-Negritos, Pre-Dravidian or Australoid, Dravidians, Tall dolichocephalics, Dolichocephalic Aryans and Brachycephalics Leucoderms.
A.C. Haddon’s classification: has classified India into three main geographic regions and has distinguished many races confined to these geographical zones. These zones are as follows: The Himalayan Zone, Northern Zone (Hindustan), and Deccan,
Eickstedt’s (1934) classification: He studied both physical characteristics as well as the cultural material. He classified the people of India into four main divisions as follows: Weddid, Melanid, Indid, and Palaeo Mongoloid.
B.S. Guha’s (1931) Classification: He classified Indian ethnic types into six divisions. This is based on the original anthropometric measurements made by him during the 1931 census operation. The six ethnic types are as follows: Negrito, Proto-Australoid, Mongoloid, Mediterranean, Western Brachycephals, and Nordic.
S.S. Sarkar’s (1954) classification: His classification was based on cephalic index. He classified six ethnic elements constituting the main types in Indian population. These are as follows: Australoid, Indo-Aryan, Irano-Scythian, Mundari speaking people, Far Eastern, and Mongolian.

4. Criticism

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References

Suggested Readings

B.M. Das (1992) Outline of Physical Anthropology, Published by Kitab Mahal Agencies
B.R.K.Shukla and Sudha Rastogi (2008) Physical Anthropology and human genetics, 5th edition, published by Kamal Gupta for Palaka Prakashan