ANTHROPOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA
 

In the year under report, the Survey has further expanded its work on the socioeconomic and bio-anthropological problems of different population groups of India, particularly those lying near the sub-Himalayan border region. The Survey has also continued to collaborate with the various Government departments, Universities and regional planning bodies. The major activities of the Survey, during the year, are briefly described below.

Cultural Anthropology Division

(1) Work on the two major projects of national impor- tance taken up in 1973 has been continued.

(a) Socio-economic changes among the Weaker Section of Indian population-22 villages in 11 states have been studied.

(b) Society, and culture among the people of he sub- Himalayan border area-8 ethnic groups in the border villages have been studied.

(2) Ethnographic studies of the tribal communities, namely, Santals and Hill Kharia of West Bengal, Mankidi of Orissa, Onge of Little Andaman, Great Andamanese and Shompen of Great Nicobar have been taken up.

(3) Besides the above projects works have been taken up in the field of socio-cultural and economic aspect of agricultural innovation, folk-medicine, social economy of cattle-herders, tribal political movements, impacts of industrialization on the tribal and peasant life in Singhbhum, Raniganj coal field areas, Haldia and Sonabeda (Orissa), beggars and scavengers of Calcutta and the Anglo-Indian Community of Calcutta.

(4) Reports on Thadou-Kuki, Chenchu and Bhutia Languages have been completed and a survey of

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various Kuki dialects has been taken up. Work on the inter-states communication between West Bengal and Orissa has also been carried out.

Physical Anthropology Division

(1) The major project of Ail India Bio-Anthropological Survey initiated in 1973 has, so far, investigated 173 different locations of the country covering 17, 300 households. A substantial body of data on genetic disorders, congenital anamolies, etc., has been collected.

(2) Chemical treatment and preservation of ancient skeletal remains has been continued. An odontometric study of ancient and modern collections of teeth has been completed. A report on human skeletal remains unearthed from Santaldanga, West Bengal has been completed in collaboration with the Directorate of Archaeology, West Bengal.

(3) Field investigations under the projects, 'physical anthropology of five Muslim groups of Calcutta' and 'Growth and Development of Muslim girls of Murshidabad' have been completed.

(4) Dermatoglyphic researches are being conducted on different population groups of Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh & Karnataka.

(5) Studies on other topics in progress are : blood groups incompatibility as a cause of spontaneous abortion, sero-anthropological studies among the Tamang of North Bengal, Motak of Assam, Chamar of West Bengal, congenital malformations in neonates, colour vision deficiency in several tribal groups of Bihar, effect of Lactation on the duration of post partum amenorrhoea, fertility and mortality among cancer patients of Calcutta and Bombay hospitals, genetical demography of diabetics and seasonal variation in diet and physique among the Juangs of Orissa.

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Other activities

(1) Plans have been prepared and collection of speci- mens has been started for the six Zonal Anthropological Museums.

(2) The Libraries of the Survey have added 600 books and 1790 periodicals to the collection.

(3) About 80 scientific papers, 5 books and 4 occa- sional publications have been published by the various members of the Survey.

Expenditure

A provision of Rs. 38,56,000 has been made under the non plan budget and Rs. 13,00,000 under the plan for 1974-75.