ADIVASI

 tribal people, said to be the original inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent. In 1950, as per the Indian Constitution, these tribals were designated as Scheduled Tribes. According to the 1981 census, there were more than 52 million Adivasis in India, the majority found in the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Nagaland. They also inhabit the hills and forests of central and southern India, and the Islands. The largest groups are the Bhils, Mundas, and Santhals. They have experienced major changes in their traditional ways of life because their lands have been taken away due to growing population, the development of towns, and industrialization.