Indian anthropology has undergone a rich and multifaceted evolution, shaped by historical, social, and intellectual contexts. The discipline, concerned with the study of humans, their cultures, societies, and biological aspects, can be understood through various phases, each reflecting shifts in methodology, focus, and theoretical underpinnings. These phases are not rigidly separated but often overlap, providing a nuanced picture of how anthropology has developed in India. The first phase of Indian anthropology is often referred to as the Colonial or Early Descriptive Phase (late 19th century to early 20th century). During this period, anthropology emerged as a distinct field largely under colonial influence, driven by administrative and political motives. British colonial officials, missionaries, and scholars sought systematic knowledge of India’s diverse population to govern effectively. Early anthropologists focused primarily on cataloging and classifying communities based on observable traits such as physical characteristics, rituals, customs, languages, and occupations. Ethnographic studies were descriptive, emphasizing racial classifications, caste hierarchies, and tribal differences. Prominent figures of this phase included Sir Herbert Risley, whose work on caste and race emphasized measurement of physical features to categorize populations, and D. R. Bhandarkar, who contributed to historical and cultural studies. This phase laid the foundation for the systematic collection of ethnographic data, although it was criticized later for its colonial biases and limited engagement with indigenous perspectives. The second phase, often termed the Consolidation and Institutionalization Phase (1920s to 1940s), marked the establishment of anthropology as an academic and professional discipline in India. This period saw the formation of departments and research institutions, such as the Anthropological Survey of India (ASI) in 1945, which became a central hub for ethnographic research. During this phase, anthropologists began to move beyond purely descriptive studies to incorporate social structure, kinship, and cultural patterns. Scholars like Nirmal Kumar Bose and R. B. Lal contributed to the understanding of tribal societies,