The concept of tribe in the Indian context has evolved through historical, anthropological, administrative, and political processes. In India, the term “tribe” generally refers to communities that are identified as Scheduled Tribes under Article 342 of the Constitution. However, the idea of tribe is not merely a legal category; it reflects distinctive cultural patterns, social organization, economic practices, and historical experiences of marginalization. Indian tribes, often referred to as Adivasis, are considered the indigenous inhabitants of the subcontinent, though this claim is debated among scholars. Anthropologically, a tribe has been described as a social group characterized by a common territory, shared language or dialect, endogamy, kinship-based organization, and a sense of unity derived from common ancestry. Early anthropologists such as D.N. Majumdar and G.S. Ghurye offered differing interpretations. Majumdar emphasized the relative isolation, primitive traits, and simple technology of tribes, while Ghurye argued that tribes in India were “backward Hindus,” integrated into the broader Hindu social order. This debate highlights that tribes in India cannot be understood as completely isolated entities; rather, they have long interacted with neighboring peasant and caste societies. In the colonial period, British administrators classified certain communities as