HYDERABAD, INDIA, April 22, 2024 (India West): (IANS) The Vedda, an indigenous group of Sri Lanka, has a close genetic affinity with the Indian population, revealed a landmark study by 10 researchers from five institutions. The significant findings of the study, which involved a comprehensive analysis of high-resolution autosomal and mitochondrial genomes and shed new light on the initial peopling of Sri Lanka and the ancient genetic ties between the Vedda and other populations in Asia, were published recently in the journal Mitochondrion, according to CSIR-CCMB. “The language isolate Vedda, who are among the least studied indigenous populations in Sri Lanka, have long intrigued scientists and historians alike due to their unique linguistic and cultural characteristics. This study, therefore, unravels the mysteries of their genetic origins and affinities with the Indian population,” said Dr. K. Thangaraj one of the senior authors of the study and JC Bose Fellow at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad.

Key findings from the research indicate that despite the lack of close linguistic similarities, the Vedda people share a significant genetic link with the ethnic populations in India. Anjana Welikala, the first author of the study, stated that this unique discovery challenges the conventional isolation-by-distance model and underscores the distinct demographic history of the Vedda. The implications of this research are vast, offering novel perspectives on the demographic history of not only Sri Lanka but also the broader South Asian region. This study underscores the complex mosaic of human migration and genetic diversity in South Asia, revealing how the Vedda have preserved their genetic identity over millennia despite massive cultural and linguistic changes around them.

https://indiawest.com/veddas-of-sri-lanka-have-close-genetic-affinity-with-indians-reveals-study/

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