The tribal populations of India are facing with the problem of identity struggle and identity diffusion due to the overarching phenomenon of cultural homogenization. This situation is indicative of contrasting perspectives held by the insiders, the tribal groups themselves and the outsiders leading to identity crisis. In this context, this book discusses the empirical facts pertinent to the social recognition of tribal or indigenous populations in the backdrop of statutory validity of the existing conceptual frame. The students and teachers of Anthropology and Sociology get benefit out of the contents of this book by not only finding contemporary citations but also get motivated to offer alternative explanations for the pestering problems. In Indian context tribes are given constitutional guarantee for special provisions and their amelioration that heavily depends on identity criteria. The policy makers, community welfare workers and bureaucrats will be benefited by this book in understanding of tribal affairs in the right perspective and the dynamics involved, whereby necessary changes can be initiated and adopted. Professionals interested in social justice, human rights and equal opportunities for tribes can draw the attention of this book. This book helps the legal service providers on claims of tribes to realize the contemporary changes happening in the tribal world and their identity captions. About the Author: Dr Jesurathnam Devarapalli is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology in Pondicherry University, Puducherry and is presently heading the department. He got his Post graduate degree in Anthropology, having specialized in Social Anthropology, from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam and secured his PhD from the same university in 1995. He has published 42 research publications in reputed National and International Journals. He was awarded a Postdoctoral Fellowship (Research Associate) by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi. He has published two books titled 'Cultural Dimensions of Biodiversity: Issues of Exploitation and Conservation', and 'Narratives on Tribes in Transition: Complexities in Indian Scenario'. He has garnered acclaim through his 25 years of teaching experience in universities, which also includes successfully guiding 4 Ph.Ds and 16 M.Phils. His research interests cover Ecological Anthropology, Medical Anthropology, Indigenous Knowledge, and Tribal Cultures. He has participated in 60 international and national seminars. He has successfully organized nine national seminars on the issues related to tribal people of India.