A large-scale genomic study of remains from the Mahanadi Basin in Odisha has identified a unique genetic adaptation in the region's Neolithic inhabitants. The data, spanning from 3000 BCE to 1000 BCE, shows a rapid increase in genetic variants associated with resilience to water-borne pathogens, coinciding with the intensification of monsoon-based agriculture.
This research suggests that the early settlers of eastern India developed biological and cultural adaptations in tandem, allowing for the first large-scale permanent settlements in the flood-prone river delta. This study offers a new model for understanding how climate and geography shaped the early human history of the Indian subcontinent.