Podcast INQUA India 2027
Quaternary is the age when modern recognisable humans started inhabiting this planet.
All over the world scientists are engaged in studying various aspects of human evolution. Once every 4 years scientists from all across the Globe gather at one place and exchange their research, discoveries and views. In 2027 Lucknow (India) has the honour of hosting this congress.
Through this podcast, accompany Veraa on an amazing journey about human evolution, changing climate and reorganisation of environments.
To listen the podcast:
Episode 8: Evolutionary and Genetic History of Indians
It’s exciting that researchers now have access to over a thousand ancient DNA samples, dating from about 10,000 years ago to just 500 years ago. With this timeline, they’re piecing together South Asia’s demographic history more clearly than ever before.
And the questions they’re asking are big ones:
- How did huge population shifts shape the people living here today?
- What happened when societies transitioned from hunting and gathering to farming?
- How did ancient populations adapt—developing tolerance for certain diets, building resistance to diseases, or evolving other traits?
The answers paint a picture that’s anything but simple. South Asia’s past isn’t just a single story of one group arriving and staying put. Instead, it’s a rich, woven fabric. Populations moved in, some blended, some stayed distinct—and together, they created the incredible diversity we see today.
And here’s the beautiful part: that deep history is still alive. It’s inside us, in our DNA, carried by over a billion people across South Asia. Every family, every community, carries threads of that long, complex journey.
So next time you think of South Asia’s diversity—in its music, in its languages, in its food—remember: it’s not just culture. It’s in our genes. It’s in our history. And it connects us across thousands of years.
Contributors:
Veraa Singh &
Dr. Niraj Rai
BSIP Lucknow