Adivasi

Ādivāsīs (आदिवासी) or tribal peoples comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population of India. Tribal peoples are particularly numerous in Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand, and in extreme northeastern states such as Mizoram. Officially recognized by the Indian government as "Scheduled Tribes" in the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India, they are often grouped together with scheduled castes in the category "scheduled castes and tribes", which is eligible for certain affirmative action measures. During the 19th century, substantial numbers converted to Christianity.

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Indeed, the fastest growing Indian Christian communities have been located in the northeast, among the Khasis, Mizos, Nagas, and other hill tribes. Missionaries from various churches offer these people amenities like food ,medicine and education in return for converting to Christianity. Most of the converted tribals denounce Indian culture and traditions. The Church also promotes demand of separate Christian nation of Nagaland ( their motto being 'Nagaland for Christ' ).

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Many smaller tribal groups are quite sensitive to ecological degradation caused by modernization. Both commercial forestry and intensive agriculture have proved destructive to the forests that had endured swidden agriculture for many centuries.

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See List of Scheduled Tribes in India for a full list of peoples recognized as tribal under the Constitution of India.

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Indigenous: The word indigenous is an adjective derived from the Latin word indigena, meaning native, belonging to, aboriginal; and has several applications:...

India: The Republic of India is a country in South Asia which comprises most of the Indian subcontinent. India has a coastline which stretches over seven thousand kilometres, and shares its borders with Pakistan to the west, the People's Republic of China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast, and Bangladesh...

Orissa: Orissa (2001 provisional pop. 36,706,920), 60,162 sq mi (155,820 sq km) is a state situated in the east coast of India....