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WASHINGTON (Nov. 28, 2012)A study by the Genographic Project has given new insight
into how demographic factors have shaped genetic diversity in Indian populations. Among the most
surprising findings was that genetic differences between tribal and caste groups in Tamil Nadu
seem to pre-date the arrival of the Indo-Europeans in the region by approximately 2,000 years.
Published today in the journal PLOS ONE, the study was led by principal investigator
Ramasamy Pitchappan of the Genographic Projects Indian Regional Center at Chettinad Academy
of Research & Education in Chennai.
Contemporary Indian populations exhibit great cultural, morphological and linguistic
diversity. The study sought to answer the contentious question of whether Indias contemporary
genetic patterns are a result of long-term occupation, perhaps dating to just after humans left Africa
about 60,000 years ago, or if they have been substantially impacted by more recent migration into
the region.
Our conclusions provide a new framework to better understand the relative impacts of
demographic events and other cultural, social and economic factors that might have influenced
modern genetic diversity in India, Pitchappan, the senior author, said.
Indian populations can be broadly divided into tribal and non-tribal. Tribal groups
constitute 8 percent of the Indian population and are characterized by traditional modes of
subsistence such as hunting and gathering. In contrast, the majority of the non-tribal populations
are classified as castes under the Hindu Varna (color caste) system, which groups the population
based primarily on occupation. The system embodies strict marital rules preventing marriage
among different castes.
Full text:
https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/India_release_11_12.pdf
into how demographic factors have shaped genetic diversity in Indian populations. Among the most
surprising findings was that genetic differences between tribal and caste groups in Tamil Nadu
seem to pre-date the arrival of the Indo-Europeans in the region by approximately 2,000 years.
Published today in the journal PLOS ONE, the study was led by principal investigator
Ramasamy Pitchappan of the Genographic Projects Indian Regional Center at Chettinad Academy
of Research & Education in Chennai.
Contemporary Indian populations exhibit great cultural, morphological and linguistic
diversity. The study sought to answer the contentious question of whether Indias contemporary
genetic patterns are a result of long-term occupation, perhaps dating to just after humans left Africa
about 60,000 years ago, or if they have been substantially impacted by more recent migration into
the region.
Our conclusions provide a new framework to better understand the relative impacts of
demographic events and other cultural, social and economic factors that might have influenced
modern genetic diversity in India, Pitchappan, the senior author, said.
Indian populations can be broadly divided into tribal and non-tribal. Tribal groups
constitute 8 percent of the Indian population and are characterized by traditional modes of
subsistence such as hunting and gathering. In contrast, the majority of the non-tribal populations
are classified as castes under the Hindu Varna (color caste) system, which groups the population
based primarily on occupation. The system embodies strict marital rules preventing marriage
among different castes.
Full text:
https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/India_release_11_12.pdf
