That a large section of people living in very
interior areas of Indian sub-continent, African and the
East-Indian archipelago areas were quite different in attitude,
did not escape notice of the British administrators. They took
note of their customs, religious rituals, and social composition
etc., which were different from their own. These later become
early reference for the anthropologists. The discipline ‘anthropology’
took shape in England, other European countries and in the United
States.
In the earlier days, many scholarly persons
belonging to natural science, humanities and even medicine
indulged in anthropological studies and enriched the discipline.
It essentially became a human science, which covers all aspects of
human existence. Man basically has biological existence but the
behavioral existence has earned the name human being. The mental
qualities of individuals vary highly, but in a coherent group,
these qualities are averaged. In a group, cultural behavior is
established, which run through generations of that group of
people. They form a society and frame own rules. Form simple
societies with numerically limited persons, large civilization of
people emerged.
The subject Anthropology taught the nuances of
studying nuances of studying human societies in the University
level. It started in the first quarter of last (20th) century and
gradually many university started teaching. Some of them offer
curricula for various aspects of the discipline.
As the subject emphasizes tribal societies many
educated people, know it as tribal study only. In reality the
focus area is much wider i.e. for all types of man related
problems. The Government of India and State Governments have
departments devoted to gather data on human societies, analyze
their findings and help in formulation of planning. The university
scholars who study existing societies or dig up past cultural
relics or find genetic composition of human groups, and analyze
them to give a sound theoretical base. Some other institutions are
now showing interest in studying molecular genetics of Indian
people with imported technical know-how. Most of such researchers
have been trained in biological sciences and human genetics
pursued by them hardly find anthropological viewpoints.
Up to eight decade of last century, Indian
universities could instill a genuine eagerness among students to
pursue anthropology as career. But gradually there was a reverse
trend. Brilliant minds could not get a decent job to pursue their
career in anthropology thus detracted to job-savvy subjects. The
government also did not care for anthropologist for state or
national planning, rather depended on economists and demographers.
So mostly mediocre and lesser souls thronged the departments
demeaning the quality of the discipline.
As India is a multi-lingual, multi-ethnic vast
land with very rich cultural heritage, it deserves well
documentation of cultural, social and genetic isolates still
nurturing tradition. Majority of Indian, live in villages amid
economic difficulties, which invite health hazards. But their
ethical and moral values are serene. The ill of modern
technological civilization is yet to corrupt their life style. The
tribal societies with all types of rigidity still resist corrosion
of tradition.
Modern India suffers from global terrorism,
internal insurgent forces and administrative corruption. The
anthropologists are required to amend their traditional teaching
and research curricula and address these emergent problems with
efficiency, so that they can prove their relevance in spite of
Governmental indifference to the academia.