INSTITUTIONS OF ANTHROPOLOGY AND ETHNOLOGY
The Anthropological Survey of India, Calcutta and the National Museum
of Man, Bhopal are the subordinate offices under the Department of Culture.
Both these institutions carried on their activities in their respective fields.
Anthropological Survey of India The Anthropological Survey of India has started functioning as an inde-
pendent organisation since December 1, 1945. From a very modest beginning,
the Survey has grown as a premier research institute of anthropological re-
search at the national level and is now the biggest of its kind in the global
perspective. Presently it has seven regional offices and one Sub-Regional
Office located at different parts of the country with head office at Calcutta.
Since its inception, the Survey has given a commendable service to the nation
by way of involving itself in various fields of research activities. It conducts
research to record and analyse the bio-cultural diversities of Indian popu-
lation. It undertakes explorations to unearth, preserve and study the ancient
skeletal remains in the context of biocultural history of Indian population
and carries out field and laboratory based investigations among Indian popu-
lation with emphasis on tribes and weaker sections on the problems of con-
temporary relevance. The Survey also collects, preserves, documents and
displays ethnographic materials through its museums located at the head
office and different regional and sub-regional offices.
During the year 1983-84, the activities of the Survey primarily centered
round 60 research projects which are broadly categorised as All India Pro-
ject, Regional project, and individual project. Two of these projects are
collaborative in nature, one with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the other
with UNESCO. The Survey has also carried out activities of preservation,
documentation and dissemination through its various sections such as Museum.
Cinematography, Photography, Sound Laboratory, Clearing House Unit,
Documentation Unit, Basic Data Archive, Library, Reprography and Printing
and Publication. These apart, the Annual programme of the Survey includes
seminars, symposia, workshops, training courses and exhibitions, all of which
were given due and proper attention. A brief report of the activities for the
year under report is as follows :
Physical anthropology division of the Survey carried out researches on
5 All India projects, namely (1) Survey of Indigenous Health Practices,
(2) Small Population and Genetical Demography (3) All India Bio-Anthro-
pological Survey (4) All India Dermatoglyphic Survey and (5) Portrait
Building system. These apart, activities were continued on 3 Regional and
26 individual projects. Four scientific reports were completed on four
projects.
Research activities of Cultural anthropology division centered round 4
All India projects, namely, (1) Tribes in Contemporary India (2) Tribal
Education in India (3) Shifting Cultivation in India and (4) Museum Adap-
tation to Extreme Climate. Research activities were continued on 3 Regional
projects and 118 Individual projects. Field investigations were undertaken
in relation to the projects. Bengalee Refugees in Andaman, Language in
relation to Ethnicity, Agrarian Situation in Karnataka, Jagdalpur : A town
in Tribal Milieu, Sacred Institutions in Mysore City and Human Adaptation
to Extreme Climates. Fourteen Scientific reports including a book on the
Nagesia of Chhatisgarh were completed.
The Project Tribes in Contemporary India was undertaken jointly by
the Physical and Cultural Anthropology Division of the Survey in order to
provide base line information of little known tribes and to determine the
trends of changes in the tribal way of life due to impact of external influence.
Reports on ten tribes from different parts of the country were completed.
Second round of field investigation was undertaken on 18 tribes and the
data were analysed for the preparation of final reports.
111
Portrait Building system, a collaborative project was taken up, with the
Bureau of Police Research and Development (Ministry of Home Affairs)
for developing kits of identification on the basis of morphological traits.
Field investigation was undertaken in Madhya Pradesh to collect photographs
and somatoscopic, data from the general population. Data from various
other populations collected from other parts of India were partly processed
and analysed.
Museum Preservation, maintenance and documentation of ethnographic materials
were continued in the Central and Zonal Anthropological Museums of the
Survey. New ethnographic materials were collected from the Gujjar of
Uttar Pradesh, Aka, Bangi, Miji and Mongpo of Arunachal Pradesh and
Lepahca, Rabha, Moch and Toto of West Bengal and were added to the
stock of Central and Zonal Anthropological Museums. About 1541 visitors
including foreign scholars visited the museums of the Survey.
Printing and Publication During the year under review three pending Annual Reports of activities
of the Survey for the years 1979, 1980 and 1981, one booklet containing
abstracts and programme of seminar on Human Adaptation to Extreme
Climates, one issue of Bulletin (Vol. 30, 1 & 2) and three issues of News-
letter (Vol. I No. 3, 4 & 5) were published. Besides, three memoirs and
one issue of Bulletin are under publication.
Fellowship Programme The Scheme of Fellowship was introduced in the Survey to provide
opportunity for research scholars to undertake advanced studies in Anthro-
pology and allied disciplines and to develop collaborative programme with
the Universities and other national institutions of the country. During the
year under report, nine fellowships were awarded in addition to 17 existing
Fellows of the Survey of which 13 Fellows are attached to various organisa-
tions as follows :
Place of attachment Senior Fellow Junior Fellow
Delhi University 2
Andhra University 1 2
Punjab University 1
Ranchi University 1
Panjab University 1
Calcutta University 4
Rural Development Centre, IIT, Kharagpur 1
UNESCO Sponsored Project: Under this project a number of ancient, cities in Asia have been selected,
Study of Historic Cities of Asia one in each country, for intensive study under the auspices of UNESCO. In
India, the historic city of Kancheepuram situated in the State of Tamil Nadu
has been selected for the purpose. The Anthropological Survey of India
is one of the collaborating institutions for this project. In consultation with
Archaeological Survey of India, it has been decided that this Survey will
cover the following aspects :
1. Historical aspect with special reference to population and ethnicity.
2. Demography of Kancheepuram including population movements
and changes in urban status.
3. Socio-economic aspect of silk-weaving trade.
4. Land-use, settlement, vocational and residential pattern of house-
holds with special reference to traditional occupation.
Exploratory studies are in progress which will be followed by systematic
field investigations. Bibliographical researches have also been initiated.
Workshops & Seminars The Survey organised one workshop on "Human Adaptation to Extreme
Climate" and three Refresher Courses, namely, (1) Study of Blood Groups;
(ii) Study of Material Aspect of Culture; and (iii) Museum Method. Another
workshop on Tribes in Contemporary India is proposed to be organised in
March, 1984.
112
National Museum of Man In early 1983 the National Museum of Man embarked upon developing
instant facilities for periodical temporary exhibitions to be held regularly of
diverse themes. As a result, a temporary exhibition gallery has been prepared
in the present hired accommodation. The first thematic exhibition gallery has been
in the new gallery recently provided display of a selection of ritual objects
from museum's collection. The preparation on second thematic exhibition
on 'Fossil Man' to be held in January 1984 is in progress involving pre-
paration of life-size exhibits. A major part; of this exhibition will later
become permanent feature of the outdoor complex being developed at the
site of National Museum of Man. Through regularly organised interlinked
periodical exhibition, the museum will be able to bring to the public its
growing collections of information and specimens even before its permanent
galleries at the site become operational.
The National Museum of Man has been conceptualised as an organic
whole, dedicated to unfold the story of human-kind highlighting human
biological evolution and cultural patterns with particular reference to India
In 1983 the museum has carried further the work on under mentioned
earlier schemes ;-
1. Exhibition on Tribal Habitat.
2. Exhibition of painted rock-shelters within the site of NMM.
3. Exhibition of a few pre-historic sites by transplantation.
4. Exhibition on Extinct Hominoids.
The Museum has already constructed a number of tribal dwellings for the
outdoor exhibition 'Tribal Habitat in India '. Three more tribal dwellings will
be added during the year under report.
Further excavation at the painted rock-shelter, situated at, the site of
National Museum of Man has been taken up. Also, analysis of material
excavated in 1982 is being done, which together with the new material will
provided sufficient information for presentation of this site as an exhibit in
museum's outdoor complex.
The museum is developing a reference library to facilitate research work.
During the year over 500 books were added and 77 foreign and 35 Indian
journals were subscribed.
113