Mangaluru varsity study shows shared paternal ancestry among Brahmins across India
The study explains that the gotra concept traces its roots back thousands of years to the ancient Saptarshis. Under this system, marriage within the same gotra is traditionally prohibited, as individuals from the same gotra are considered distant siblings. In addition, the lesser-known term pravara refers to wider, extended kinship groups. Traditionally, Brahmins across India follow 18 major gotras, including Bharadwaja, Gautama, and Vashishtha, which continue to influence marriage practices.
Researchers analysed short tandem repeats (STRs), repetitive sections of genomes, from 334 Indian Brahmins and compared them with genetic data from over 1,300 Eurasian males. The results point to a shared paternal ancestry among Brahmins across India, indicating links to early Indo-European migrations. According to the lead researcher Jaison Sequeira, the findings suggest that Indian Brahmins share a common R1a genetic ancestor with western Iranians, Tajiks, and Uzbeks, likely predating the Indo-Iranian split in northern Afghanistan.
However, migration and interaction patterns appear to have differed significantly across regions. Northern Brahmins showed closer genetic ties to Afghan groups such as the Pashtuns, suggesting later admixture. On the other hand, Konkani and other southern Brahmin population appear to have diverged earlier, retaining an older genetic signature shared with West Iranian population.
While the study does not provide specific migration dates, it points to two separate waves of R1a (Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup) ancestry into the Indian subcontinent, separated by a significant time gap.
Sequeira said India's population diversity should be preserved with the same importance as historical artefacts. "Just as we preserve artefacts in museums and archives, we should also generate and document population-specific genetic data for future generations," he said, encouraging youngsters from all communities to take part in such initiatives.
Earlier research suggests that the Indo-European component entered the Indian subcontinent about 4,000 years ago.
A 2024 preprint by the same research group estimated a gap of about 500-800 years between the common ancestor of Brahmins and Afghanis, with the former constituting the earlier wave. However, more research is required to date the events of the past accurately.
Corresponding author Prof MS Mustak said pan-India collaborations are critical. "With Genome India Project data in hand, pan-India collaborations are the only and the best way forward," he said. The study was conducted in collaboration with researchers from Karnataka, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, New Delhi, and Switzerland.
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