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IGNOUPROJECT.COM 9958947060

anthropometric studies in different parts of India and worked out a racial classification
basing on ethnic differences.
Shrichakradhar.com
Dr. Guha’s monumental work during the Census operation of 1931 strengthened his
position as a Government anthropologist. In 1946 when Government of India started a
separate Department of anthropology in Indian Museum, he was appointed as its
director. Anthropological survey of India became the biggest anthropological research
body of its kind in the world where hundreds of professional anthropologists got their
employment.
Beside this important achievement, the period was further marked by the entrance of
Vemer Elwin, a missionary who came to India with the intention of converting the
Indians, particularly tribals to Christianity. But with time Elwin was entangled with
anthropological work and his motive changed. He became totally involved among the
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tribes of Central India. Although he was not a professional anthropologist like
Majumdar, Chattopadhaya or Guha, he wrote some excellent problem-oriented
ethnographic accounts of the tribal people of M.P., Orissa and Arunachal Pradesh.
His books entitled, “The Baiga (1939), The Agaria (1943), Maria Murder and Suicide
(1943), The Muria and their Ghotul (1947), Religion of the Indian Tribe (1955)” are
regarded as classics in anthropological literature. He was also appointed as a Governor
of Assam, especially on tribal affairs. C. Von. Furer-Haimendorf also provided some
unique publications on the tribes of Hyderabad. His two books, “The Chenchus (1943)
and The Reddis of the Bison Hills (1945)” deserve special mention as models for future
work in India.
In reference, to the general trend of work, we can quote the words of L.P. Vidyarthi and
conclude that Indian anthropology was born and brought up under the predominant
influence of British and matured during the constructive phase on the line of British
anthropology. Indian anthropologists, like the anthropologists at Cambridge, Oxford
and London made themselves involved in ethnological and monographic studies with a
special emphasis on researches in kinship and social organization.
(iii) Analytical Period (1950-1990): Contact of Indian anthropologists with
American anthropologists occurred after the World War II and especially after India’s
independence. A shift in approach was noted with the intervention of the American
scholars. The influence of British anthropology with its emphasis on preliterate isolate
society was gradually replaced by the analytical study of the complex societies. Study of
Indian Village became very fashionable.
The American anthropologist’s viz. Morris Opler of Cornell University, Oscar Lewis of
the University of Illinois, David Mandelbaum of the University of California and a lot of
their students came in India with research team. Their objective was three-fold Firstly
they wanted to make a systematic study of Indian villages for testing some of their own
hypotheses. Secondly, they tried to refine their already established methodological
framework and thirdly, they urged to assist the community development programmes in
Indian villages.

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