Peopling of India: Insights from Genetics

Abstract

Genes move as people move. Therefore, it is possible to reconstruct trails of human migration by studying genetic characteristics of people from different regions of the world. Humankind evolved out of Africa and moved out of Africa to populate different parts of the world. One of the earliest waves of human migration from out‐of‐Africa came into India. Genetic data have been helpful in reconstructing the processes of peopling of India and the relationships among contemporary ethnic groups of India. This article provides an overview of these findings.