Tribes of India

Every place on this map

1. ChangpaLadakhNomadic herders of the Changthang plateau who rear Pashmina goats (UPSC 2014); a Scheduled Tribe.
2. Brokpa (Drokpa)LadakhDard-speaking people of the Dah-Hanu villages on the lower Indus; known for flower-decked headgear.
3. Gujjar-BakarwalJammu & KashmirMove their herds up to the high pastures in summer and down to Jammu in winter.
4. GaddiHimachal PradeshPastoral sheep and goat herders of the Dhauladhar and Bharmour (Chamba).
5. JaunsariUttarakhandOf the Jaunsar-Bawar hills of Dehradun; noted for polyandry (shared with the Toda).
6. BhotiaUttarakhandTrans-Himalayan traders and herders of the high valleys (Niti, Mana, Johar).
7. Raji (Van Rawat)UttarakhandSmall forest group of Pithoragarh-Champawat; a PVTG.
8. Buksa (Bhoksa)UttarakhandOf the Terai-Bhabar belt (Dehradun, Pauri, Nainital, Bijnor); a PVTG. UPSC 2000: Buksa-Pauri Garhwal.
9. TharuUttar PradeshBiggest tribe of the Terai (UP, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Nepal); for them Diwali is a mourning festival.
10. BhilRajasthanIndia's largest tribe by population (UPSC 1979), spread across Rajasthan, Gujarat, MP and Maharashtra.
11. MeenaRajasthanLargest Scheduled Tribe of Rajasthan, in the east of the state.
12. SahariyaMadhya PradeshForest people of north MP and Baran (Rajasthan); Rajasthan's only PVTG. UPSC 2014 used them as a wrong option in the sapling-festival question.
13. SiddiGujaratDescendants of East Africans (Bantu) brought centuries ago; Jambur village near the Gir forest.
14. WarliMaharashtraOf Palghar-Dahanu; known for Warli painting: white stick figures on mud walls.
15. KorkuMaharashtraMunda-language tribe of the Satpura (Melghat). UPSC 2014: the Korku-Gond month-long fruit-sapling festival.
16. GondMadhya PradeshSecond largest tribe; Gondwana is named for their old kingdoms (Garha-Mandla). Asked in UPSC 1984 and 2014.
17. BaigaMadhya PradeshShifting cultivators (bewar) of the Maikal hills around Dindori-Mandla; a PVTG.
18. KolMadhya PradeshOf Rewa-Jabalpur-Chitrakoot. UPSC 2000: Kol-Jabalpur.
19. Muria and Maria (Madia)ChhattisgarhGond groups of Bastar; the Muria ghotul youth dormitory and the Bison-horn Maria dance.
20. Korwa (Hill Korwa)ChhattisgarhHill Korwa are a PVTG of north Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Trap: not in Kodagu (UPSC 2000).
21. SanthalJharkhandThird largest tribe; Santali (Ol Chiki script) entered the 8th Schedule in 2003. UPSC 2018: after the Santhal uprising came the Santhal Parganas and a ban on land transfer to non-Santhals.
22. Sauria / Mal PahariaJharkhandShifting cultivators of the Rajmahal hills; PVTGs.
23. BirhorJharkhandSemi-nomadic forest people of Hazaribagh-Ranchi: rope-making and monkey-trapping; a PVTG.
24. Oraon (Kurukh)JharkhandOf Ranchi-Gumla-Lohardaga; they speak Kurukh, a Dravidian language in the middle of Munda country.
25. MundaJharkhandOf Ranchi-Khunti; UPSC 2000: Munda-Chota Nagpur; Birsa Munda's Ulgulan revolt of 1899-1900 (UPSC 2021).
26. HoJharkhandMunda-language tribe of Kolhan (West Singhbhum); Warang Chiti script.
27. Lodha (Lodha-Sabar)West BengalA PVTG of Paschim Medinipur, once branded 'criminal' under colonial law (de-notified in 1952).
28. TotoWest BengalAbout 1,600 people in one village, Totopara, on the Bhutan border in Alipurduar; a PVTG.
29. JuangOdishaHill people of Keonjhar; a PVTG with youth dormitories (majang).
30. Saura (Savara)OdishaTerrace farmers of the Eastern Ghats (Gajapati-Rayagada); Saura (idital) wall art; Lanjia Saura are a PVTG.
31. Dongria KondhOdishaOf the Niyamgiri hills; a PVTG. UPSC 2013: Dongaria Kondh-Odisha.
32. BondaOdishaAustroasiatic hill people of the Malkangiri hills; a PVTG. Trap: not in Tamil Nadu (UPSC 2013).
33. KoyaTelanganaGodavari forest tribe of Bhadrachalam; the Sammakka-Saralamma (Medaram) jatara is one of Asia's biggest tribal fairs.
34. Lambada (Banjara)TelanganaScheduled Tribe in Telangana and AP; known for mirror-work embroidery. Trap: not paired with Madhya Pradesh (UPSC 1999).
35. ChenchuAndhra PradeshHunter-gatherers inside the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve in the Nallamala forest; a PVTG.
36. YanadiAndhra PradeshCoastal tribe of Nellore; many were moved off Sriharikota island for the launch centre.
37. SoligaKarnatakaOf the BR Hills; the first tribe to win community forest rights inside a tiger reserve (2011).
38. TodaTamil NaduBuffalo-herding people of the Nilgiris (UPSC 2005); a PVTG; noted for polyandry. Asked in UPSC 1984 and 2014.
39. Irula (Irular)Tamil NaduFamous snake- and rat-catchers of the Nilgiri foothills; their co-op supplies venom for antivenom. UPSC 2019: a PVTG; also UPSC 2014.
40. PaliyanTamil NaduHoney and forest-produce gatherers of the Palani-Cardamom hills.
41. CholanaikkanKeralaA few hundred people who lived in rock shelters of the Nilambur forests; a PVTG.
42. KadarKeralaForest-produce gatherers of the Anaimalai-Parambikulam hills; a PVTG.
43. Kani (Kanikkar)KeralaOf Agasthyamalai; they shared their knowledge of the arogyapacha plant (the anti-fatigue 'Jeevani') and got a share of the profit, a classic benefit-sharing case.
44. LepchaSikkimThe original people of Sikkim; the Dzongu reserve in the Teesta valley. UPSC 2014.
45. Limboo (Limbu)SikkimOf West Sikkim, also in east Nepal. UPSC 2013: Limboo-Sikkim.
46. MonpaArunachal PradeshTibetan-Buddhist people of Tawang and West Kameng.
47. Nyishi (old name Dafla)Arunachal PradeshLargest tribe of Arunachal; the 'Dafla hills' of old maps are their hills.
48. ApataniArunachal PradeshOf the Ziro valley: wet rice with fish in the same field. UPSC 1999 and 2002.
49. Adi (old name Abor)Arunachal PradeshPeople of the Siang valley; 'Abor' is the old name.
50. MishmiArunachal PradeshPeople of the Dibang and Lohit valleys; the Mishmi takin.
51. Mising (Miri)AssamRiver-bank people of upper Assam; stilt houses (chang ghar). UPSC 1999: Assam-Miri.
52. BodoAssamLargest Scheduled Tribe of Assam; the Bodoland Territorial Region is a Sixth Schedule area.
53. Karbi (Mikir)AssamOf the Karbi Anglong hills (the Mikir hills); a Sixth Schedule council. Trap: not in Himachal Pradesh (UPSC 2013).
54. KonyakNagalandOf Mon district; famous for facial tattoos. UPSC 1999: Nagaland-Konyak.
55. LothaNagalandOf Wokha; Lotha is a language of Nagaland (UPSC 2005).
56. AngamiNagalandTerrace wet-rice farmers around Kohima; Kisama hosts the Hornbill Festival.
57. KukiManipurHill people of Manipur (also Mizoram and Nagaland). Trap: not in Uttar Pradesh.
58. Garo (Achik)MeghalayaOf the Garo hills; matrilineal like the Khasi. UPSC 1987: Khasi and Garo are in Meghalaya.
59. KhasiMeghalayaOf the Khasi hills; matrilineal, the youngest daughter (ka khadduh) inherits. UPSC 1987 and 2002.
60. Jaintia (Pnar)MeghalayaPnar people of the Jaintia hills; the Behdienkhlam festival.
61. Mizo (Lushai)MizoramOf the Mizo hills; 'Lushai' is the old name; the Chapchar Kut festival.
62. ChakmaMizoramBuddhists who came from the Chittagong Hill Tracts (Bangladesh); a Chakma council in south Mizoram.
63. Bru (Reang)TripuraA PVTG; Bru who fled Mizoram in 1997 were resettled in Tripura under a 2020 agreement.
64. Great AndamaneseAndaman & Nicobar IslandsOnce about 5,000 people; now a few dozen, resettled on Strait Island.
65. JarawaAndaman & Nicobar IslandsNegrito hunter-gatherers of South and Middle Andaman; the Andaman Trunk Road through their reserve is a long debate.
66. SentineleseAndaman & Nicobar IslandsThe most isolated people on earth, on North Sentinel Island; entry is banned.
67. OngeAndaman & Nicobar IslandsNegrito group of Little Andaman (UPSC 2004).
68. NicobareseAndaman & Nicobar IslandsLargest and most settled A&N tribe, on Car Nicobar; Mongoloid, not Negrito.
69. ShompenAndaman & Nicobar IslandsForest people of Great Nicobar (UPSC 2009); the Great Nicobar project affects their land.