The man who built scope for science of humanity

Analysis of the tribal culture and indigenous lifestyle has proved to be an integral source to conduct research in sociological anthropology. Indian Anthropological Survey stands out as an astounding hub of sociological, biological, ethnological and anthropological investigation in India, yet the works of the man behind this agency goes unnoticed.
Dr B. S. Guha, the founder-director of AnSI; Image Source: INDIATODAY

Dr B. S. Guha, the founder-director of AnSI; Image Source: INDIATODAY

Specimen of primitive extinct flora, the Blaschka Glass flowers and marine invertebrates came alive in the Harvard Museum of Natural History for Biraja as he gazed at the ambience of the museum. He stepped into the museum for the first time as a research scholar at Harvard. The museum boasted magnificent displays of ancient meteorites, gemstones and other zoological evidence of the evolutionary period.

Mesmerised by innumerable displays to be viewed by the visitors, in the museums of Natural History of Boston & New York and the vast research of Bureau of Ethnicity of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, intrigued him to pursue the depths of reconstruction of the origin of humankind and their origins in the Indian subcontinent.

It was the year 1924 when Biraja presented his notable thesis on “The Racial basis of the Caste System in India” and defended it successfully against Roland Dixon and Earnest Hooton, he became the first Indian to be the recipient of the PhD degree in Anthropology. His doctorate made him a renowned scholar of Anthropology in the world, as he was one of the early eminent scholars to do so.

The classification of various tribal populations and the study of their inherent physical features was one heck of a breakthrough in the field! Several evolutionary scientists countered his idea of races developing separately in a country of such varied diversity. To this Guha moulded his research again and accepted that, purity of race is a myth and the amalgamation of racial features in human progeny testifies it!

His racial research fueled a social spur amidst the correlation of Vedas and the Caste based division of society. Anthropology for the first time witnessed the sociological impact of the sciences. Guha’s ideas sparked intellectual debates and instilled curiosity amongst the students.

The landmark foundation of the Anthropological Survey of India under the Department of Education on the 1st of December, 1945 was a tedious and ambitious result of Dr B. S. Guha’s persuasion! He became the founder-Director of AnSI which was earlier a branch of the Zoological Survey of India. Upon his request the Zoology was transferred in the Department of Agriculture and AnSI was founded.

Dr Guha’s academic interests never ceased and he went on to contribute towards the development of the Social Education Training Centre and Bihar Tribal Research Institute in Ranchi both as Director.

He penned the history of anthropology in India and also presented his seminal work in the areas of aboriginal lifestyle, material culture, tribal welfare and the role of social sciences in nation-building. Born in Shillong in yesteryear Assam, Guha was always keen to know more about the past and the origins of the eastern part of India. He became the first anthropologist to lead a thorough multidisciplinary survey on increasing tensions in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to help Government in decision making. This was indeed a step towards emulating the importance of sciences in the social aspect of a nation which rightly makes him the man who introduced the scope for science in humanity in India!

Specimen of primitive extinct flora, the Blaschka Glass flowers and marine invertebrates came alive in the Harvard Museum of Natural History for Biraja as he gazed at the ambience of the museum. He stepped into the museum for the first time as a research scholar at Harvard. The museum boasted magnificent displays of ancient meteorites, gemstones and other zoological evidence of the evolutionary period.

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