The study of tribal society in India has been significantly influenced by the contrasting perspectives of Verrier Elwin and G. S. Ghurye. Their approaches differed in terms of ideology, methodology, policy recommendations, and understanding of the place of tribal communities within Indian society. While Elwin emphasized the protection of tribal identity and culture, Ghurye viewed tribes as backward Hindus who should be integrated into the mainstream. Their debates continue to shape discussions on tribal development, cultural preservation, and state policy in India. Verrier Elwin was an anthropologist and social reformer who spent many years living among tribal communities in Central India and the North-East. His perspective was based on participant observation and close interaction with tribal people. Elwin admired tribal culture and believed that tribal societies possessed unique social institutions, ecological knowledge, and moral values that deserved recognition and protection. He rejected the colonial notion that tribes were primitive and instead regarded them as culturally rich communities with distinct traditions. Elwin strongly advocated the policy of cultural autonomy and protection. He argued that rapid industrialization, missionary intervention, commercialization, and forced assimilation into mainstream society would destroy tribal life. His concept of the "National Park Policy" suggested that tribal areas should be protected from