Important Tribes of India by Dr. Gaurav Garg
Tribes of India
● Scheduled Tribes in India According to the 2011 Census, the Scheduled Tribes account for 10.45
Crore representing 8.6% of the country’s population.
● These Scheduled Tribes are spread throughout the country largely in forest and hilly regions.
The essential characteristics of these communities are :-
● Primitive Traits (For example, Use of Arrow Bow)
● Geographical isolation
● Distinct culture
● Shy of contact with community at large
● Economically backwards
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs
● The Ministry of Tribal Affairs was set up in 1999, after the bifurcation of the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment with the objective of providing a more focused approach on the development of the STs.
● Before the formation of this Ministry, tribal affairs were being handled by different Ministries as given below:
1. As a Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs named as ‘Tribal Division’ since Independence up to September,
1985.
2. The Ministry of Welfare from September 1985 to May 1998.
3. The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment from May 1998 to September 1999.
PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups)
● They are more vulnerable among the tribal groups.
● Due to this factor, more developed and assertive tribal groups take a major chunk of the tribal development funds,
because of which PVTGs need more funds directed for their development.
● In 1975, the Government of India initiated to identify the most vulnerable tribal groups as a separate category called
PVTGs and declared 52 such groups.
● In 1993 an additional 23 groups were added to the category, making it a total of 75 PVTGs.
● PVTGs have some basic characteristics -
✓ They are mostly homogenous, with a small population, relatively physically isolated, absence of written
language, relatively simple technology and a slower rate of change etc.
✓ Most of these groups have not attained significant levels of educational, economic progress and are having low
health indices.
✓ Among the 75 listed PVTG’s the highest number are found in Odisha.
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes
● National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) was set up with effect from 19th February, 2004 by amending
Article 338 and inserting a new Article 338A in the Constitution, through the Commission (Eighty-ninth Amending)
Act, 2003.
● The Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the Commission have been conferred the rank of Union Cabinet Minister and
Minister of State respectively.
Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) was introduced in the year 1997-98 to provide quality education to
Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in remote areas.
The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) is a Multi State Cooperative
Society set up in 1987 under the Multi State Cooperative Societies Act, 1984 (now the Multi State Cooperative Societies
Act, 2002) which functions both as a service provider and market developer for tribal products.
It markets tribal products through the network of its retail outlets ‘ TRIBES INDIA ’ in the country.
Tribal Freedom Fighter Museums
1. Andhra Pradesh (Lambasingi)
2. Chhattisgarh (Raipur)
3. Gujarat (Rajpipla)
4. Jharkhand (Ranchi)
5. Kerala (Kozhikode)
6. Madhya Pradesh (Chhindwara)
7. Mizoram (Kelsih)
8. Telangana (Hyderabad)
9. Manipur (Senapati)
Highest tribal population in India among states
#1 Madhya Pradesh - 1.5 Crore (14.7% of Tribal population of India)
#2 Maharashtra - 1.12 Crore (10.1% of Tribal population of India)
#3 Odisha - 96 Lakh (9.2 % of Tribal population of India)
✓ Article 366 (25) of the Constitution of India refers to Scheduled Tribes as those communities who are scheduled in
accordance with Article 342 of the Constitution.
✓ This Article says that only those communities who have been declared as such by the President through an initial public
notification or through a subsequent amending Act of Parliament will be considered to be Scheduled Tribes.
✓ The list of Scheduled Tribes is State/UT specific and a community declared as a Scheduled Tribe in a State need not be
so in another State/UT.
Bhil
● Picture Text - Bhil clad in his finest for the Toranmal festival. Boys and Girls gather in large
numbers during such festivals as they provide an opportunity for them to choose their
partners.
● Bhil lives mainly in Central India. They have a bow-and-arrow culture.
● They are also farmers, sculpture artists.
● Bhi women use Silver and Brass.
Munda
● Picture Text -A Munda woman from Ranchi in Jharkhand wears a red-and-white gamcha
(towel) wrapped around her head. The nose ring is typically worn only by older women.
● The Munda tribe mainly lives in the Chota Nagpur Plateau. (Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal).
● They love dance and music very much. Mundas have a special dance called Nupur which is
also known as 'an anklet dance'. They wear Nupur in ankles and dance in chorus.
● They are also very good at hunting.
Baiga
● Picture Text - A Baiga woman of Mandla in Madhya Pradesh sports elaborate tattoos all over
her body. In Baiga culture, specific body parts are tattooed with specific designs depending
on the age.
● Baiga lives in many states but most of them live in Madhya Pradesh.
● Jhum Cultivation is done by the Baiga tribe.
● Baiga tribe also does work of honey collection.
● They are also experts in Traditional Medicine.
Santhal
● Picture Text - A Santhal woman in Jharkhand wears a sari in the traditional style. The tribe’s
culture is depicted in the paintings and artworks on the walls of the typical Santhal house.
● Santhal is one of the oldest tribes of India.
● They are found in many states (Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal).
● They are also educated.
● They worship spirits.
Birhor
● Picture Text - A Birhor woman with her daughter in Hazaribagh district Jharkhand.
● Maximum Population is found in Jharkhand.
● They are Particularly Vulnerable.
● They are found in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Buhar, West Bengal, etc.
● They live in a small house called ‘Tandas’.
● They use the Barter system.
Warli
● Picture Text - A warli man playing Tarpa (musical instrument) in Thane district. Wari are
nature worshipers and have a deep respect for wildlife.
● Mainly found in Maharashtra. They also live in Valsad district of Gujarat.
● Mahua is a tribal drink.
Abhuj Maria
● Picture Text - An Abhuj Maria woman in Bastar, Chhattisgarh. Members of this unique tribe
live a life of complete isolation from the outside world.
● Mainly lives in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh.
● Jhum Cultivation is also done by the Abhuj Maria tribe.
Bison horn Maria
● Picture Text - A Bison horn Maria man playing a musical instrument in south Bastar
Dantewada district. They have the unique custom of wearing a distinctive Headdress during
marriage dances or in other ceremonies.
● Mainly found in Chhattisgarh. Other states are Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh.
Gond
● Picture Text - A Gond woman picking the Mahua flowers in a forest in Bastar district. The
Gonds are one of the most famous and important tribes in India.
● They mainly eat Kodo-Kutki millets, Rice.
Kamar
● Picture Text - A kamar woman carrying a basket in Griyaband district Chhattisgarh.
● States - Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh.
● They are experts of Bamboo handicraft.
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