Defining the Roots of Indian Identity: A Journey Through Time and Migration

The history of human migration to India is a long and fascinating one, marked by a complex and rich tapestry of cultural exchange and intermingling. From the earliest days of human civilization, people have been moving across the world in search of new opportunities and experiences, and the Indian subcontinent has been a major centre of this movement for thousands of years.

Indian ancestry can be compared to a delicious pizza, with each layer representing a different wave of migration and cultural influence. Just like how a pizza has a base, sauce, toppings, and seasoning, the history of Indian ancestry can be broken down into its different components.

Once upon a time, in the ancient world, humans lived in various parts of Africa. They were hunters and gatherers, leading simple lives in small communities. Over time, as their populations grew, they began to migrate to new lands in search of food and resources.

The Base

1. First Indians

About 65,000 years ago, one such group of humans migrated to India. These early humans, known as Out of Africa (OOA) migrants, were the first to settle in the subcontinent. The “base” represents the First Indians, who were the earliest humans to settle in the subcontinent and lived in harmony with nature, adapting to the new environment and developing new ways of hunting and gathering food.

The Sauce

2. Zagros Agriculturists

Around 7000 BCE, the peoples from the Zagros Mountains in present-day Iran arrived in the Indus Valley, where they encountered the First Indians, the descendants of the early humans who had migrated to India thousands of years before.

Despite initial differences and cultural barriers, the two groups quickly intermingled and formed a new, hybrid culture. They shared their knowledge and skills, and combined their beliefs and traditions to create a rich and diverse society.

The “sauce” represents the Zagros Agriculturists, who intermingled with the First Indians to create the Harappan civilization, which was characterized by its sophisticated system of writing, advanced technologies, and impressive public works. The Harappans were skilled traders, and their cities became centres of commerce and exchange, connecting people from all over the region.

The Cheese

3. Steppe Pastoralists

Around 2000 BCE, Steppe pastoralists from Central Asia arrived in India. They mixed with the existing people of the Harappan civilization to create the ANI (Ancestral North Indian) population, while the First Indians in South India intermingled with the Harappans, who moved south, to create the ASI (Ancestral South Indian) population.

Both groups, the ANI and ASI, mixed again, to varying degrees in different regions and during different periods, to create the population of India as it is today. Interestingly, both groups have Harappan contributions to their genetics, which makes them the cultural glue that keeps India together — or the “cheese” of the pizza.

The Tomato

4. Austroasiatic + Tibeto-Burman Speakers

At the same time, another wave of migration occurred, as the peoples from South-east Asia arrived in India, bringing with them their Austroasiatic language, which is spoken by about 1.2 % Indians today and Tibeto-Burman language, which is spoken by less than 1% Indians.

As far as the Austroasiatic speakers in India are concerned, they arrived from South-east Asia as part of farming migrations originating from China. Although, studies support multiple independent domestication of Asian rice in both India and China, the unlocking of the full potential of rice cultivation in India might have required hybridization of indica (Indian variety) and japonica (Chinese variety).

Studies show that between 2200 BCE and 100 CE, there was extensive admixture between the different Indian populations with the result that almost all Indians had acquired First Indian, Harappan, Austroasiatic, Tibeto-Burman and Steppe ancestries to varying degrees.

In the years to follow, India saw many more waves of migration, from the Greeks, the Suns, the Arabs, the Mughals, the British, the Portuguese, the Jews, and many others. These are the pizza “seasonings”, which brought new cultures, languages, and traditions to the Indian subcontinent, and over time, they intermingled with the existing populations to create the diverse and vibrant society that we know today. During these years, not all intermingling was demographic or genetic as Indians, after around 100 CE, became increasingly endogamous.

The Basil

5. Greeks, Huns, Sakas, Arabs, Jews, Parsis, Syrians and many others

The Greeks, under the leadership of Alexander the Great, invaded India in the 4th century BCE. The Huns and Sakas, nomadic tribes from Central Asia, invaded India in the 5th century CE. The Arab invasions of India began in the 7th century AD and continued over the next several centuries.

There were several waves of Jewish immigration to India, but there is no record of any Jewish invasion of the country.

The Parsis, who are descendants of Persian Zoroastrians, arrived in India in the 7th century.

The Garlic Powder

6. Mughals

Around 1500 CE, the Mughals, who were descendants of Mongol and Turkish conquerors, originated from Central Asia and established themselves as the dominant power in India in the 16th century. For nearly 300 years, they influenced India’s culture and demography to a great extent, only to be weakened by the British East India Company, after whose arrival the empire was eventually dissolved in 1857.

The Oregano

7. Portuguese, French, Dutch, British

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in India, establishing a trading post in Calicut in the early 16th century. They were closely followed by the Dutch, the French, and eventually the British, who established the British East India Company and ruled over India for over 200 years.

This timeline is subject to change as new evidence and new research into ancient DNA analysis becomes available, but it provides a rough overview of the history of human migration to India.

So, who are we? How do we define ourselves?

Defining who “Indians” are is a complex task, as it encompasses a vast and diverse population with a rich and complex history. Just like how a pizza is a combination of various components, Indian ancestry is a melting pot of different cultures and influences, making it as unique as the people who call it home. The Indian subcontinent has been home to many civilizations, cultures, and peoples over the course of thousands of years, making it difficult to identify a single, unified definition of what it means to be Indian.

We are a multi-source civilization. All who have come before us have mingled and contributed to this civilization we call Indian. We are all Indians. And we are all migrants.

Today, the legacy of these migrations continues to shape the Indian subcontinent, as new generations of migrants arrive and bring their own experiences and perspectives to the region. Whether through trade, cultural exchange, or migration, the story of human movement to India is a rich and complex one, reflecting the diversity and dynamism of the human experience.

Reference: “Early Indians: The Story of Our Ancestors and Where We Came From” by Tony Joseph