H.H. Risley’s Classification (1915):
Risley said that the tribal population of India belongs to two races.
1. Dravidian
Long head, Broad nose, Depressed nasal root. Dark eyes, Dark complexion, Short stature, plentiful of head-hair with a tendency to curl.
Ex. All tribes of South India and the southern part of M.P. and Chota Nagpur in Bihar. Paniyan of South India and the Santals of Chota Nagpur belong to the Dravidian race.
2. Mongoloid.
Broad head, Flat face, Fine nose/ broad nose, epicanthic fold, short stature, Scanty body hair, Dark and yellowish skin colour.
Ex. All tribals in the Himalayan region and in the seven North-Eastern states.
B.S. Guha’s classification (1937) as regards to the racial composition of the tribes of India. They are:
Guha has found the following racial elements among the tribes in India:
(i) Negrito
Small head which is round, medium or long; Nose which is straight flat and broad, short stature, Dark brown to dark skin colour, woolly hair, Bulbous forehead and Smooth supraorbital ridges.
Ex: Kadars, and Pulayans of Cochin and Travancore and Irulas and other Primitive tribes of Wayanad. In respect of the head form and hair structure, the Indian Negritos are close to the Melanesian Pygmies than to the Andamanese.
(ii) Proto-Australoid
Dolichocephalic head, platy rhine nose, Depressed nasal root, short stature, Dark brown skin colour Wavy or even Curly hair, Delicate limbs, Less Developed and slightly retreating forehead and Prominent supraorbital ridges. They are closely akin to the Australian tribes.
Ex: Pulayans women of Travancore, Urali of Travancore Baiga of Rewa, Maler, Chenchu, Kannikar, Bhil, Santhal and Oraon belong to this group.
(iii) Mongoloids
(A) The Paleo-Mongoloid:
(a) Long-headed type: Long, head, Medium nose, and medium stature, epicanthic fold, prominent check bones, Dark to light brown skin colour, short and flat face, faintly developed supraorbital ridges, straight hair and Scanty hair on the body.
Ex: Tribes of Assam and Burma. The Sema Nagas are of typical representatives of this group.
(b) Broad-Headed Mongoloid: Broad-head, Round face, Dark skin colour, Medium nose, and Marked epicanthic fold.
Ex: Lepchas of Kalinpong
(B) Tibeto-Mongoloids:
Broad and massive head, Long and flat face, Tall stature, Long or medium nose, marked epicanthic fold, Body hair and facial hair markedly absent and Light brown skin colour.
Ex: Tibetans of Sikkim.