Welcome to the Department of Anthropology and Tribal Studies at Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University. Since our inception in 2001, this department has transitioned from a pioneering self-financing course into a fully regularised, premier academic centre. Our foundational identity is built upon academic holism. We offer intensive postgraduate and doctoral training across three distinct areas of specialization:

Biological Anthropology: Focuses on human evolution, genetics, clinical biology, biometric screening, and specialized applied fields like Forensic Anthropology and Sports Anthropology.
Socio-Cultural Anthropology: Explores human society, cultural theories, gender dynamics, medical frameworks, and tribal development policies.
Archaeological Anthropology: Uncovers past human cultures, cultural chronology, prehistoric tool technologies, and world prehistory.

Experiential Learning & Immersive Fieldwork
We believe that anthropology cannot be taught solely within classroom walls. To bridge theory with practice, our department actively organises a regular calendar of academic and field-based professional activities:
Excavations & Field Explorations: Students receive intensive field training at monumental regional prehistoric sites, featuring unique practical opportunities like our Kamta excavation project.
Hands-On Technical Training: Students engage in specialised technical workshops, including experimental lithic knapping training and expert-led conservation of tangible tribal cultural heritages.
Ethnographic Work with PVTGs: Our scholars gain unparalleled real-world insight through mandatory immersive fieldwork among the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of Mayurbhanj.
Academic Events & Museum Visits: Regular exposure via national seminars, conferences, interactive workshops, and curated museum visits bridges textbook learning with global anthropological advancements.

Advanced Research Infrastructure
The department features dedicated, state-of-the-art laboratories equipped with advanced techniques and laboratory instruments to foster high-impact research under our Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) curriculum, and Ph.D. programmes:
Biological Anthropology Lab: Outfitted with advanced anthropometric, somatoscopic, and serological tools for human genetics and variation studies.
Archaeological Anthropology Lab: Housing comprehensive prehistoric tool collections, lithic cast kits, and stratigraphic profiling equipment.
Departmental Museum: Serving as a vital research repository of material culture, tribal art, textiles, etc celebrating indigenous heritage.

Academic Architecture
With our department completely regularised since the 2021-22 academic session, our dedicated regular faculty members drive these initiatives. Our M.A./M.Sc. curriculum accommodates 35 students per batch, explicitly reserving 6 seats for biological science graduates to foster robust interdisciplinary synergy in our research.
I invite you to explore our programmes, participate in our field activities, and join our vibrant research community.

Dr. Basanta Kumar Mohanta
Head, Department of Anthropology and Tribal Studies
Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University
Sriram Chandra Vihar, Takatpur, Baripada-757003, Odisha