A groundbreaking genomic study published in the South Asian Anthropology Review has analyzed DNA from 11,000-year-old remains found in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh. The research identified specific genetic markers that provided early inhabitants of the Gangetic plain with significant resilience to various tropical fevers. This adaptation suggests a long-term co-evolution between the local population and the riverine environment.
The study also confirms that these Mesolithic hunter-gatherers share a direct ancestral link with the modern indigenous communities of the region. This genetic continuity underscores the deep-rooted biological heritage of the Indian subcontinent, preceding the development of organized agriculture by several millennia.