Dalits are historically among the most socially disadvantaged communities in India and have experienced discrimination, exclusion, and unequal access to social, economic, and political opportunities. In the context of Tribals of South and Central India, the relationship between Dalit communities and tribal societies is important because both have historically faced marginalisation, although their social identities, cultural traditions, and historical experiences are different. The term Dalit broadly refers to communities that were historically placed at the lower levels of the caste hierarchy and subjected to practices of untouchability and social exclusion. Many Dalit communities live in rural areas of South and Central India, often in regions that also have substantial tribal populations. States such as Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu contain significant populations of both Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Tribal societies are generally organised around kinship, clan, customary institutions, and close relationships with forests and natural resources, whereas Dalit communities have historically been connected with the caste-based social structure. However, both groups have faced poverty, landlessness, limited educational opportunities, exploitation of labour, and inadequate access to resources. In some areas, Dalit agricultural