Context:
Recently, a 19-year-old student cracked the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), who is set to become the first member of the Bonda tribal community.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
The Bonda Tribe:
- Found exclusively in Malkangiri district, Odisha, primarily concentrated in the Khairaput block.
- Recognized as a particularly vulnerable tribal group and one of India’s oldest tribes.
- Also known as Bondo, Bondas, Bonda Paraja, and Bhonda.
- Ethnicity and Language: Part of the Austro-Asiatic racial stock, speaking the Remo dialect, an Austro-Asiatic language.
- Cultural Division:
- Lower Bondas: Reside in the southern part of Malkangiri district, close to the borders of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
- Upper Bondas: Inhabit the remote hilly terrains of the district.
- Women typically wear minimal clothing adorned with various rings and jewelry, while men’s attire includes notable accessories.
- Primarily engaged in farming, hunting, gathering forest products, and other labor activities, reflecting their deep connection to their land and natural resources.
-Source: The Hindu
