Has Indian Anthropology Withered Away?

Abstract

Anthropology is a dynamic discipline that has a cut-out task to provide solutions to the challenges faced by the world societies. While contribution of Anthropology is recognized in most parts of the world, India, particularly after the mid-1980s, has shown its reluctance to respond to various problems and, subsequently, ignored by planners, policymakers, administrators, and even other sister disciplines. Anthropologists have the vast knowledge of human societies, methodology, experience, and communicative skills to provide solutions to those problems. Therefore, there is an urgent need to revive the zeal of anthropologists to respond to all sorts of problems being faced by India and take the lead in providing solutions to those problems. Otherwise, anthropology may be marginalized further, and it may be suicidal for the discipline as also for its practitioners.