GENOMIC
STUDY OF ANCIENT SOUTH ASIAN POPULATION : HISTORY
NEWS
:
India Launches Groundbreaking Genomic Study to Unravel South Asia’s Ancient
Population History
WHAT’S
IN THE NEWS ?
For the first time, the Indian government has launched
a comprehensive scientific study using ancient and modern
genomics to explore the population history of South Asia, addressing
conflicting theories about the origins of ancient Indian communities.
Genomic
Study of Ancient South Asian Populations
·
Study Title: "Reconstruction of the Population
History of South Asia using Ancient and Modern Genomics."
·
Led by: Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI)
under the Ministry of Culture.
·
Collaborators: Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences
(DST), studying 300 ancient skeletal remains from sites like Harappa and
Mohenjo-Daro.
·
Objectives:
·
Uncover
the origins of ancient Indian communities.
·
Analyze
diet, living conditions, diseases, and environmental adaptations.
·
Investigate
migration patterns and genetic interactions.
·
Aryan Migration Theory: The study aims to
clarify debates around the theory, proposing whether Aryans were migrants or
indigenous.
·
Timeline: Research to be completed by December
2025, focusing on India’s migration history and ancient civilizations.