Hyderabad, 6 December (IANS). A new genetic research on the Nicobarese people shows that they have significant ancestral links with Austroasiatic populations in South and Southeast Asia.
Studies conducted on the genetic origins of the Nicobarese people also reveal that the Nicobar Islanders settled there about 5,000 years ago.
Dr. Kumarasamy Thangaraj, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad and Prof. The genetic study conducted by a group of researchers from nine institutions led by Dnyaneshwar Choubey, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, gave new information about the genetic origin of the Nicobarese people.
The researchers conducted a detailed genetic analysis using DNA markers that are inherited exclusively from the mother and father and from both parents, according to a statement from CSIR-CCMB. This helped them trace the ancestry and genetic affinities of the Nicobarese people with South and South-East Asian populations.
The findings of this study have recently been published in the European Journal of Human Genetics.
The Nicobar Islands are located in the eastern Indian Ocean and south of the Andaman Islands. The archipelago consists of seven large islands, including Car Nicobar and Great Nicobar, and several smaller islands, which are characterized by flat topography, coral reefs and sandy beaches. The estimated number of Nicobarese people is around 25,000.
Dr Thangaraj said, “Previous theories had suggested that the linguistic ancestors of the Nicobarese people settled in the Nicobar Archipelago in the early Holocene, about 11,700 years ago. However, the study, comprising 1,559 individuals from South and South-East Asia Our new genetic research on the Nicobarese people shows that the Nicobarese people share a significant ancestral relationship with Austroasiatic populations in South and South-East Asia. Studies also show that the Nicobar Islanders settled there about 5,000 years ago.
The study particularly highlighted the general genetic similarity of the Hattin Mal with the Nicobarese people. The Hattin Mal are a population living in mainland Southeast Asia who speak an Austroasiatic language. The Hatin Mal community has maintained remarkable ethnic distinctiveness over time displaying clear genetic differentiation from the Nicobarese people.
Professor Dnyaneshwar Choubey, lead author of the study, said the genomic regions shared across linguistic groups suggest the ancient distribution of Austroasiatic populations in Southeast Asia. He further said that our findings are strong evidence that Nicobarese and Hattin Mal are valuable genetic representatives for understanding the ancient Austroasiatic heritage.
Dr. Vinay K., Director of CSIR-CCMB. “This research opens up new avenues for understanding the rich fabric of genetic diversity in Southeast Asia and highlights the importance of preserving the cultural and genetic heritage of indigenous populations,” Nandikoori said.
–IANS
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