Classification of S.S. Sarkar (1961):
Dr. S.S. Sarkar proposed a racial classification based on cephalic index. He suggested six ethnic elements as the main types in the population of India. According to him, India is predominantly a dolichocephalic country, followed by the racial types like mesocephals and brachycephals.
The Dolichocephals:
1. Australoid:
The Australoids are known by different names, such as, Proto-Australoid, PreDravidian, Nisada and Veddid. The aboriginal people of India exhibit a Veddid or Australoid element in different degrees. Certain tribes of South India, e.g. the Uralis, the Kannikars, Paniyan and other show Australoid features.
Sarkar had mentioned that the Australoids are widely distributed throughout India. The features are present among all castes of India although a greatest concentration is found among the lower castes. However, the population is characterized by short stature with dark complexion. Their head is dolichocephalic, the nose is platyrrhine and the hair is wavy.
2. Indo-Aryan:
The dolichocephalic Indo-Aryans are quite distinct from that of the Australoids. Their physical features denote tall stature and light skin colour. The eye colour is also light, even the hair colour is not so dark as the Australoids. The cranial capacity of Indo-Aryans is higher than the Australoids. Their physique is well built and robust than the Australoids. The best example of Indo- Aryan type is the Baltis of the Hindukush Mountains.
The Indo-Aryan people have frequently met with the people of Indus and the Gangetic Valley of Western India. Therefore, many features of this type predominate in the said region. A sporadic distribution of this type has also been noted in Eastern Bihar, Bengal and Assam. But in the latter areas, the type is confined among the higher castes only.
3. Mundari-Speakers:
‘The Mundari-speakers’ as described by Sarkar are the sturdy, short height people with robust constitution. Other features include a dolichocephalic head, a skin colour lighter than the Australoids. The thick, straight, black hair is more or less similar to those of the Mongoloids.
These people are distributed in the river valleys and plateaus of Eastern and Central India. Chottanagpur plateau, Orissa, and Madhya Pradesh show the highest concentration. They have been migrated from the east and bear some affinities with the Mongoloids.
The Mesocephals:
4. Irano-Scythian:
This type of ethnic element perhaps entered in India from Northwest, almost at the same time during the Indo-Aryan migration. The physical features are characterized by the mesocephalic head and medium stature.
These Irano-Scythians are quite different from the dolichocephalic Indo-Aryans, despite certain similarities do exist between them. In Eastern Bihar, Bengal and Assam the dolichocephalic Indo-Aryans have been replaced by the Mesocephalic Irano- Scythians. The average cephalic index of Indo-Aryans is 73 while among the Irano-Scythian it ranges between 77 and 79. The Mesocephalic IranoScythians appears to be more variable in physical features. After entering India these people possibly moved southward along the valley of the Indus. Ultimately they reached to Gujarat, Bombay and Maharashtra. Their distribution has been noted upto Northern Mysore, Deccan and further south. In Eastern India this element has been frequently observed among the populations
inhabiting in the river valleys of the Narmada and the Son.
The Brachyecephals:
5. Far Eastern:
There is no disagreement that the brachycephalic element came from Central Asia to India during Prehistoric period. The fact is that, the India had a connection with the Islands of Southeast Asia since ancient times and the cultural relationships have been continued till the historical period.
A Malayan element is observed in the coastal regions of Chittagung hill tracts. This Malayan strain is quite distinct from other ethnic elements. Dr. Sarkar had defined it in terms of brachycephalic head, short stature, tendency towards obesity and dark skin colour.
6. Mongolian:
This type of people is found in the Northeastern borders of India and the foothills of the Himalayas. The physical characteristics show a predomination of Mongoloid features. The skin colour is yellowish, akin to Mongoloid skin colour.
The hair is sparsely distributed on face and body. The eyes invariably present the epicanthic fold. For these typical Mongoloid characters, the people are easily distinguishable from the other populations of India. Our present knowledge instigates us to conclude that the earliest inhabitants of India were the Australoids who might have received some infiltration of Negrito
strains in certain parts of India. The Mongoloid racial strain is also conspicuous in some pockets of India. But this conclusion may not be a final one. More researches are still required to be carried out to solve the problem of racial classification in India.