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Created page with "== South Asian Genetics == Over the past few years, genetic research has advanced rapidly, and major laboratories and universities have carried out large-scale studies to understand how different ethnic, caste, tribal and national groups are related and distinct from each other in India and around the world. File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|Reconstructions of the physical appearances of the ancient populations that constitute the ancestral components of modern Indians..."
 
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== South Asian Genetics ==
'''Bhumihar Steppe ancestry ranges from 27% to 37%, SAHG/AASI from 28% to 36%,''' with the remainder being IVC Farmer ancestry. On average, a Bhumihar individual carries 31.32% Steppe_MLBA, 33.31% AASI (Ancient Ancestral South Indian) and 35.36% IVC-related / Indus Periphery farmer ancestry.
Over the past few years, genetic research has advanced rapidly, and major laboratories and universities have carried out large-scale studies to understand how different ethnic, caste, tribal and national groups are related and distinct from each other in India and around the world.


[[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|Reconstructions of the physical appearances of the ancient populations that constitute the ancestral components of modern Indians]]
Across multiple genetic studies published between 2019 and 2024, Bhumihars consistently show higher Steppe-related ancestry and lower Indigenous (AHG/Onge-related proxy) ancestry than Brahmins and Rajputs. '''The landmark 2019 Harvard University research on South Asian caste genetics/DNA'''<ref>https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aat7487</ref>''', which is to date the largest and most renowned study on the genetics of Indian castes''', reported disproportionately high Steppe ancestry in Bhumihars compared to Brahmins, Rajputs, Gangetic castes, and the non-Jat/Ror/Pashtun castes of North-West India and Pakistan.


Researchers now describe a characteristic South Asian genetic cline or gradient and within this wider South Asian gradient, many endogamous communities form their own unique gradients and relatively tight genetic clusters, often with strong founder effects and high levels of internal relatedness compared with more outbred populations.
The 2024 study ''[https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.06.498959v3 Distinct Positions of Genetic and Oral Histories: Perspectives from India]''<ref>[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666247724000447 Biddanda A, Bandyopadhyay E, de la Fuente Castro C, Witonsky D, Urban Aragon JA, Pasupuleti N, Moots HM, Fonseca R, Freilich S, Stanisavic J, Willis T, Menon A, Mustak MS, Kodira CD, Naren AP, Sikdar M, Rai N, Raghavan M. Distinct positions of genetic and oral histories: Perspectives from India. HGG Adv. 2024 Jul 18;5(3):100305. doi: 10.1016/j.xhgg.2024.100305. Epub 2024 May 8. PMID: 38720459; PMCID: PMC11153255.]</ref> likewise identified the sampled Bihari '''Bhumihars as having the highest Steppe ancestry among the sampled Brahmin groups, placing them above the Brahmin Tiwari, Saryuparin and West Bengal Brahmin groups, as well as the Rajputs'''. Independent studies published in BMC Genomics (2020)<ref>[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12863-020-00919-2 Das, R., Ivanisenko, V.A., Anashkina, A.A. ''et al.'' The story of the lost twins: decoding the genetic identities of the Kumhar and Kurcha populations from the Indian subcontinent. ''BMC Genet'' '''21''' (Suppl 1), 117 (2020).]</ref>, Human Genetics (2021)<ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12959898/ Das, Ranajit & Ivanisenko, Vladimir & Anashkina, Anastasia & Upadhyai, Priyanka. (2020). The story of the lost twins: decoding the genetic identities of the Kumhar and Kurcha populations from the Indian subcontinent. BMC Genetics. 21. 24-28. 10.1186/s12863-020-00919-2.] </ref>, bioRxiv (2022)<ref>[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362173947_Genetic_affinities_and_sub-structuring_in_Coorg_population_of_Southern_India Mukhopadhyay, Anirban & Kumar, Lomous & Sran, Kiran & Thangaraj, Kumarasamy & Thelma, B. (2022). Genetic affinities and sub-structuring in Coorg population of Southern India. 10.1101/2022.07.20.500704.] </ref> and Genome Biology and Evolution (2023)<ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38079532/ Kumar L, Chowdhari A, Sequeira JJ, Mustak MS, Banerjee M, Thangaraj K. Genetic Affinities and Adaptation of the South-West Coast Populations of India. Genome Biol Evol. 2023 Dec 1;15(12):evad225. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evad225. PMID: 38079532; PMCID: PMC10745260.]</ref> '''similarly reported comparatively high Steppe-related and European Hunter-Gatherer ancestry in Bhumihars''' than in several other sampled caste groups, including Brahmins, Rajputs, Kambojs, Dogras, Gujjars, Nairs, Srivastavas, Reddys, Yadavs, and Bunts.


As a result, numerous castes and tribes in South Asia can be seen as having their own local genetic substructures or “micro-gradients” nested inside the broader South Asian gradient.
== Bhumihar Genetics according to Harvard University & Dr.David Reich - Research Paper 1 ==
Harvard University’s professors and 114+ genetic scientists from across the globe conducted the most extensive and detailed genetic research on Indian castes & tribes, headed by David Reich, world’s leading geneticist and the director of David Reich Lab at the Harvard University.


South Asians broadly have 3 major ancestries according to the Harvard University research. Their names and brief characteristics are given below. Understanding these terms will be helpful in comprehending the ancestry/ancestral component breakdowns of Bhumihars given in the next section.
This research paper-“[https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aat7487 The formation of human populations in South and Central Asia]”, highlighted several points about Bhumihars as follows:


{| class="wikitable"
=== ''(A) “Steppe ancestry in modern South Asians is primarily from males and disproportionately high in Brahmin and Bhumihar groups"'' ===
|-
[[File:Image.png|center|thumb|624x624px]]
! # !! Component !! Mainly Associated With
|-
| 1 || '''Steppe_MLBA''' || Late Bronze Age steppe pastoralist populations (Sintashta/Andronovo-like), Indo-Iranian/Indo-European–linked movements into South Asia in the 2nd millennium BCE, and a substantial part of the ancestry of many Indo-Aryan–speaking and some higher-caste groups. These people are credited to have likely brought the Indo European language family into South Asia.
|-
| 2 || '''IVC''' (Indus-related / Indus Periphery) || People of the Indus Valley Civilization and surrounding regions, a mixture of Iran-related early farmer ancestry and South Asian hunter-gatherers, and the largest single ancestral layer feeding into both ANI and ASI-rich populations across South Asia.
|-
| 3 || '''AASI''' (Ancient Ancestral South Indian) || The local, native South Asian hunter gatherer ancestry that predates farming and steppe migrations and contributes substantially to many present day South Asian groups.
|-
| 4 || '''AHG''' (Andamanese Hunter Gatherers) || A proxy source based on Andamanese genomes representing AASI like (native South Asian hunter gatherer) ancestry in qpAdm models, used to approximate the indigenous Indian component in studies such as those by Lomous Kumar.
|}
 
 
== Bhumihar Genetics according to the Harvard University & David Reich research & other studies ==
Harvard University’s professors and 114+ genetic scientists from across the globe conducted the most extensive and detailed genetic research on Indian castes & tribes, headed by David Reich, world’s leading geneticist and the director of David Reich Lab at the Harvard University. This research, “The formation of human populations in South and Central Asia”, highlighted several points about Bhumihars:[[#ref-1|[1]]]
 
* “Steppe ancestry in modern South Asians is primarily from males and disproportionately high in Brahmin and Bhumihar groups”
[[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|Steppe ancestry comparison]]
 
* “Groups that traditionally view themselves as being of priestly status (Brahmin, Pandit, and Bhumihar) tend to have a significantly higher ratio of Central_Steppe_MLBA to Indus_Periphery_Cline ancestry than other groups”
[[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|Ratio comparison]]
 
* Bronze age Steppe ancestry proportion is higher in Bihari Bhumihars compared to other caste groups such as Kshatriyas, Kurmis, Tharus, Srivastavas, Yadavs, Nais, Thakurs, and Brahmins sampled in the research.[[#ref-2|[2]]]
[[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|Comparision boxplots]]
 
* Bihari Bhumihars having higher Eastern European Hunter Gatherer, Western Steppe and Central Steppe than other groups like Kambojs, Dogras, Haviks and Brahmins sampled in the research. This research showed results of 3 different models.[[#ref-3|[3]]]
[[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|Model results 2020]]
 
* Bhumihars have higher Steppe_MLBA ancestry than other groups like Kambojs, Gujjars, Nairs, Brahmins, Dogras, Srivastavas, Reddys, Yadavs, Bunts etc sampled in the research.[[#ref-4|[4]]]
[[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|Model results 2021]]
 
* Bihari Bhumihars again found to be having higher Steppe_MLBA ancestry than other groups like Kambojs, Gujjars, Nairs, Brahmins, Dogras, Srivastavas, Reddys, Yadavs, Bunts etc sampled in yet another research.[[#ref-5|[5]]]
[[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|Model results 2022]]
 
 
== qpAdm runs of Bhumihar raw DNA files ==
'''Note:''' qpAdm is a professional tool that calculates what percent of a group’s DNA comes from a few chosen ancestral groups (like AASI, Indus Valley Civilisation, Steppe). It is routinely used in major peer-reviewed studies by researchers and is considered the industry standard.
 
Several genetics hobbyists and enthusiasts have ran the publicly available raw DNA files of individuals belonging to various Indian castes and the ancestries of Bhumihars according to those runs are as follows:
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Population !! Region !! Total samples (N) !! AASI% !! IVC% !! Steppe_MLBA%
|-
| Bhumihar_Bihar || Muzaffarpur, Bihar || 7 || 32.68 || 36.12 || 31.2
|-
| Bhumihar_UP || Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh || 8 || 34.83 || 36.47 || 28.7
|}


[[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|qpAdm Run Results (This run was done by the Twitter user x.com/vicayana)]]
=== ''(B) “Groups that traditionally view themselves as being of priestly status (Brahmin, Pandit, and Bhumihar) tend to have a significantly higher ratio of Central_Steppe_MLBA to Indus_Periphery_Cline ancestry than other groups”'' ===
[[File:Harvard1.jpg|center|thumb|624x624px]]


=== (C) Strongest signals of Steppe ancestry in the Gangetic plains were found amongst the Bihari Bhumihars ===
[[File:IMG 20260806 083826.jpg|center|thumb|372x372px]]


== Another qpAdm run by an enthusiast ==
=== (D) According to David Reich's genetic research, Bihari Bhumihars were found to have higher Steppe ancestry and lower AHG (Andamanese Hunter-Gatherer)-proxy Indigenous ancestry than Gangetic Plains Brahmins and Rajputs. ===
[[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|Brahmin Ganga qpAdm Run Table]]
In the DNA research on Indian castes by Dr. David Reich, Harvard University and world's most renowned genetic scientist, '''Bihari Bhumihars''' '''were found to have higher''' '''Steppe ancestry''' than '''Gangetic Plains Brahmins''' and '''Rajputs'''. They were also found to have lower '''Indigenous ancestry''', for which '''AHG (Andamanese Hunter-Gatherer)''' was used as a proxy, compared with Gangetic Brahmins and Rajputs.  


{| class="wikitable"
{| style="margin:auto; text-align:center;"
|-
| [[File:G7.png|350px|thumb|'''Model 1''' Bihari Bhumihars are estimated to have '''28.3%''' Central Steppe_MLBA-related ancestry and '''21.3%''' AHG-related ancestry, compared with '''Brahmin_UP (26.4% Steppe, 24.8% AHG)''', Brahmin_Tiwari (27.0% Steppe, 23.6% AHG), Brahmin_Haryana (24.0% Steppe, 18.8% AHG), and '''Rajputs (23.5% Steppe, 25% AHG)''', respectively. ]]
! Metric !! India_M (AASI) !! IndusFarmer (IVC) !! Steppe_MLBA !! HG : Farmer Ratio
| [[File:G4.png|350px|thumb|'''Model 2''' Bihari Bhumihars are estimated to have '''26.3%''' Central Steppe_MLBA-related ancestry and '''26.4%''' AHG-related ancestry, compared with '''Brahmin_UP (25.0% Steppe, 29.1% AHG)''', Brahmin_Tiwari (25.2% Steppe, 28.2% AHG), Brahmin_Haryana (23.1% Steppe, 25.2% AHG), and '''Rajputs (21.9% Steppe, 29.5% AHG)''', respectively.]]
|-
| Average (Bhumihar, n = 14) || 33.31% || 35.36% || 31.32% || 0.485
|}
|}


On average, Bhumihars ( Total samples = 14) derive about 33.31% of their ancestry from AASI (Ancient Ancestral South Indian), 35.36% from IndusFarmer (IVC‑related), and 31.32% from Steppe_MLBA.
'''How to access Harvard research paper's caste ancestry spreadsheet''' '''given above''' - The exact ancestry percentages are provided in David Reich's renowned & widely cited research paper on Indian populations. Official Link - '''[https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aat7487 "The Formation of Human Populations in South and Central Asia."]'''
 
An outlier sample of Bhumihar, having 37% Steppe ancestry, which is 5-6 percentage points higher than the average Steppe ancestry found in typical Bhumihars.


[[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|qpAdm Outcomes]]
Step 1) Scroll down and navigate to the "Supplementary Material" section at the end of the paper and there will be several downloadable files under it.
[[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|qpAdm Rotations]]


Step 2) You will find a downloadable spreadsheet file named '''"File (aat7487_tables1-5.xlsx),"''' under the "Supplementary Material" section. Download it.


== Genetically Closest Populations to Bhumihars ==
Step 3) After downloading the spreadsheet mentioned in the previous step, go the the '''"Table S5"''' inside the spreadsheets and there you'll find the '''entire ancestry data of major Indian castes''' that were part of Harvard's research by Dr. David Reich.  
Although genetic data are available for 20 Bhumihars, comparative data on the closest populations are currently available for only three individuals: one from eastern Uttar Pradesh; one whose father is from eastern Uttar Pradesh and mother from Bihar; and one whose ancestry is entirely from Bihar.


The closest population other than Bhumihars that they got in their genetic tests were Brahmins from Awadh and Eastern Uttar Pradesh, while the Rajputs usually tend to always be genetically distant or different from Bhumihars.
== Bhumihars show the highest Steppe ancestry among Brahmin groups in the 2024 genetics/DNA research - Research Paper 2 ==


Their results are posted on the subreddit r/southasianancestry on Reddit, the photos below contain their usernames as well.
The 2024 research [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666247724000447 Distinct Positions of Genetic and Oral Histories: Perspectives from India] applied qpAdm modeling to find the proportions of Steppe and Onge-related (AASI or the indigenous Indian component) ancestry and '''Bhumihars of Bihar came out to have the highest Steppe ancestry (29.0%) among the Brahmin groups, more than Brahmin Tiwari (27.9%), Saryuparin Brahmins (26.1% Steppe), and West Bengal Brahmins (22.3% Steppe)'''. Their estimated Steppe ancestry was also higher than that of the sampled Rajputs (20.8% Steppe) and Khatris (26.9% Steppe).  


This section will be updated as new results are available.
Conversely, Bhumihars displayed the lowest Onge-related ancestry (20.7%) among the Brahmin groups in the dataset, lower than Brahmin Tiwari (23.4%), Saryupari Brahmins (22.8%), West Bengal Brahmins (30.6%), Rajputs (21.9%) but the Khatris (11.6%) have even lower Onge related ancestry than Bhumihars. '''Khatris showed nearly half the amount of Onge-related ancestry compared to Gangetic Brahmins and the Bihari Bhumihars'''.[[File:IMG 20260806 103606 481.png|center|thumb|Source: [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666247724000447 Distinct positions of genetic and oral histories: Perspectives from India, 2024]. This table is inside the sheet-S6 of the downloadable supplementary spreadsheet given with the research paper. |586x586px]]'''How to access this''' '''and view the above given spreadsheet from the research paper''' - Official Link: [https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.06.498959v3 "'''Distinct positions of genetic and oral histories: Perspectives from India, 2024"''']


* '''Sakarwar Bhumihar'''
Step 1) Go to the link of the research paper and scroll down or navigate to the '''"Supplemental information"''' section, under it you'll find the '''"Download spreadsheet"''' option. You have to '''download it''' to view the entire spreadsheet file containing multiple tables.  
** Closest population: Brahmin (Uttar Pradesh)
** [[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|Sample 1]]


* '''East UP Bhumihar'''
Step 2) Inside the spreadsheet, go to the '''table number 'S6'''' to find the spreadsheet of the ancestry '''qpAdm runs from the research posted above'''.
** Closest population: Awadhi_Brahmin_Saryupareen
== Research Paper 3 ==
** [[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|Sample 2]]
Bhumihars show higher Steppe ancestry compared to other caste groups such as Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Yadavs and Shrivastavas according to a 2020 scientific genetic research titled "[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12863-020-00919-2 The story of the lost twins: decoding the genetic identities of the Kumhar and Kurcha populations from the Indian subcontinent -BMC Genomics, 2020]"<blockquote>The scientific research states -'''''"Bhumihars contained the highest fraction of the Steppe ancestry component"'''''</blockquote>[[File:BabhanGenetics04.jpg|center|thumb|691x691px|Source: [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12863-020-00919-2 The story of the lost twins: decoding the genetic identities of the Kumhar and Kurcha populations from the Indian subcontinent - BMC Genomics, 2020]]]


* '''Paternal-UP, Maternal-Bihar'''
== Oxford University research paper & Bhumihar genetics - Research paper 4 ==
** Closest population: Brahmin (Uttar Pradesh)
[https://academic.oup.com/gbe/article/15/12/evad225/7469372 Oxford University research paper] shows that '''Bhumihars have higher Steppe ancestry than other groups like Kambojs, Brahmins, Gujjars, Yadavs''', Nairs, Dogras, Srivastavas, Reddys, Bunts on 2 different models.
** [[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|Sample 3]]
[[File:Genome.png|center|thumb|Source: [https://academic.oup.com/gbe/article/15/12/evad225/7469372 Genetic Affinities and Adaptation of the South-West Coast Populations of India - Genome Biology and Evolution, 2023]|540x540px]]


=== Oxford University research paper says that UP Bhumihars and Brahmins form clade with each other ===
[https://academic.oup.com/gbe/article/15/12/evad225/7469372 Oxford University research paper] highlights that UP Bhumihars and Brahmins are very closely genetically related and form clade with each other, in simpe words, '''UP Bhumihars and Brahmins share a recent common ancestry and genetically cluster together'''. <blockquote>The scientists say in the research that - '''''"We found that Brahmin_Tiwari and Bhumihar_UP forms clade with each other"'''''</blockquote>
[[File:301124f1-7e3d-4144-b2d9-5b71f0d677ac.jpg|center|thumb|513x513px|Source: [https://academic.oup.com/gbe/article/15/12/evad225/7469372 Genetic Affinities and Adaptation of the South-West Coast Populations of India - Genome Biology and Evolution, 2023]]]


== Phenotype Research on Bhumihars ==
== Research Paper 5 ==
There are 2 research papers published so far, on the phenotype or MI (Melanin Index) of castes found in the Gangetic plains.[[#ref-6|[6]]]
According to a [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00439-021-02346-4 2021 research], Bihari Bhumihars have higher Eastern European Hunter Gatherer, Western Steppe and Central Steppe than other groups like Kambojs, Dogras, Haviks and Brahmins. '''This research showed results of 3 different models.'''
[[File:Hgenome-1.png|center|thumb|Source: [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00439-021-02346-4 Dissecting the genetic history of the Roman Catholic populations of West Coast India - Human Genetics, 2021]]]
[[File:Hgenome-2.png|center|thumb|Source: [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00439-021-02346-4 Dissecting the genetic history of the Roman Catholic populations of West Coast India - Human Genetics, 2021]]]
[[File:Hgenome-3.png|center|thumb|Source: [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00439-021-02346-4 Dissecting the genetic history of the Roman Catholic populations of West Coast India - Human Genetics, 2021]]]


Melanin Index measures skin complexion or pigmentation, lower Melanin index corresponds to lighter skin tone, or fairer complexion, while higher MI (Melanin Index) indicates presence of more melanin, therefore darker skin.
== 2003 Central Forensic Science Laboratory genetic research says Bhumihars cluster with Brahmins - Research Paper 6 ==
Scientists from the government '''Central Forensic Science Laboratory''' reported in their scientific research paper about Bihari upper castes, that '''Bhumihars were found to be genetically clustering with Brahmins'''. <blockquote>Scientists wrote in their '''conclusion''' - '''''"The study highlights the status of Bhumihar and Kayasth in the Hindu caste system. The former was found clustering with the Brahmin group (as expected, since Bhumihar is known to be a subclass of Brahmin), whereas the distance between the Brahmin and Kayasth caste groups was found to be large."'''''</blockquote>
[[File:6006dfbe.jpg|alt=Scientists from the government Central Forensic Science Laboratory reported in their scientific research paper about Bihari upper castes, that Bhumihars were found to be genetically clustering with Brahmins.|center|thumb|746x746px|Source: [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/10578889_Genetic_profile_based_upon_15_microsatellites_of_four_caste_groups_of_the_eastern_Indian_state_Bihar Genetic profile based upon 15 microsatellites of four caste groups of the eastern Indian state, Bihar. 2003]]]


Bhumihar's MI or the Melanin Index was found to be the lowest amongst all the castes in Bihar and Central-East Uttar Pradesh.[[#ref-6|[6]]]
== Research Paper 7 ==
According to a 2022 research Bhumihars have higher Steppe_MLBA ancestry than other groups like Kambojs, Gujjars, Nairs, Brahmins, Dogras, Srivastavas, Reddys, Yadavs, Bunts etc sampled in the research.
[[File:Rxiv.jpg|center|thumb|Source: [https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.20.500704v1 Genetic affinities and sub-structuring in Coorg population of Southern India - 2022]|547x547px]]


Given below is the table containing the average MI (Melanin Index), Sample Size and Caste Category of castes from the Gangetic Plains from the RESEARCH PAPER, Sample size of most of the castes in this research is given in the table and seems sufficiently large.
== Geneticist Razib Khan's comments on Bhumihar genetics and their Steppe/AASI ancestry ==
[[wikipedia:Razib_Khan|Razib Khan]], a popular American geneticist who used to write for [[wikipedia:The_New_York_Times|The New York Times]], has stated in his [https://www.brownpundits.com/2018/09/01/takeaways-from-the-golden-age-of-indian-population-genetics/ official Blog] that '''Bhumihars have higher levels of Steppe ancestry''' '''and moderate AASI ancestry''' compared with the average Indian and the average Bihari. <blockquote>He remarked, regarding Bhumihars, that "'''''Bhumihar people in Bihar tend to have more steppe than typical and average amounts of AASI.'''''"</blockquote>[[File:B108cceb-196c-4ef3-8949-ae6a2d7558d2.jpg|center|thumb|434x434px|Source/Link - [https://www.brownpundits.com/2018/09/01/takeaways-from-the-golden-age-of-indian-population-genetics/ Razib Khan's official Blog]]]


[[File:Image_Placeholder.jpg|thumb|Melanin Index Table]]
== Summary ==
Genetic studies published between 2019 to 2024 suggest that the Bhumihars carry a slightly higher proportion of Bronze Age Steppe ancestry compared to other upper castes of the Indo-Gangetic plains and beyond, except for Jats, Rors and Pashtuns.  


Researchers suggest this pattern stems from early historical admixture, as occurred during the formation of all Indian castes, which was then preserved through centuries of endogamy.


== References ==
== References ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! ID !! Research Paper !! Link
|- id="ref-1"
| [1] || The formation of human populations in South and Central Asia || [https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aat7487 Link]
|- id="ref-2"
| [2] || The story of the lost twins: decoding the genetic identities of the Kumhar and Kurcha populations from the Indian subcontinent || [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12863-020-00919-2 Link]
|- id="ref-3"
| [3] || Dissecting the genetic history of the Roman Catholic populations of West Coast India || [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354081708_Dissecting_the_genetic_history_of_the_Roman_Catholic_populations_of_West_Coast_India/ Link]
|- id="ref-4"
| [4] || Genetic affinities and sub-structuring in Coorg population of Southern India || [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362173947_Genetic_affinities_and_sub-structuring_in_Coorg_population_of_Southern_India Link]
|- id="ref-5"
| [5] || Genetic Affinities and Adaptation of the South-West Coast Populations of India || [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38079532/ Link]
|- id="ref-6"
| [6] || Skin Pigmentation Diversity in Central East Indian Populations and its Correlation with Mitochondrial Haplogroups || [https://share.google/uRCLYOpvs7jZ5vn4H Link]
|}

Latest revision as of 14:20, 1 September 2026

Bhumihar Steppe ancestry ranges from 27% to 37%, SAHG/AASI from 28% to 36%, with the remainder being IVC Farmer ancestry. On average, a Bhumihar individual carries 31.32% Steppe_MLBA, 33.31% AASI (Ancient Ancestral South Indian) and 35.36% IVC-related / Indus Periphery farmer ancestry.

Across multiple genetic studies published between 2019 and 2024, Bhumihars consistently show higher Steppe-related ancestry and lower Indigenous (AHG/Onge-related proxy) ancestry than Brahmins and Rajputs. The landmark 2019 Harvard University research on South Asian caste genetics/DNA[1], which is to date the largest and most renowned study on the genetics of Indian castes, reported disproportionately high Steppe ancestry in Bhumihars compared to Brahmins, Rajputs, Gangetic castes, and the non-Jat/Ror/Pashtun castes of North-West India and Pakistan.

The 2024 study Distinct Positions of Genetic and Oral Histories: Perspectives from India[2] likewise identified the sampled Bihari Bhumihars as having the highest Steppe ancestry among the sampled Brahmin groups, placing them above the Brahmin Tiwari, Saryuparin and West Bengal Brahmin groups, as well as the Rajputs. Independent studies published in BMC Genomics (2020)[3], Human Genetics (2021)[4], bioRxiv (2022)[5] and Genome Biology and Evolution (2023)[6] similarly reported comparatively high Steppe-related and European Hunter-Gatherer ancestry in Bhumihars than in several other sampled caste groups, including Brahmins, Rajputs, Kambojs, Dogras, Gujjars, Nairs, Srivastavas, Reddys, Yadavs, and Bunts.

Bhumihar Genetics according to Harvard University & Dr.David Reich - Research Paper 1

Harvard University’s professors and 114+ genetic scientists from across the globe conducted the most extensive and detailed genetic research on Indian castes & tribes, headed by David Reich, world’s leading geneticist and the director of David Reich Lab at the Harvard University.

This research paper-“The formation of human populations in South and Central Asia”, highlighted several points about Bhumihars as follows:

(A) “Steppe ancestry in modern South Asians is primarily from males and disproportionately high in Brahmin and Bhumihar groups"

(B) “Groups that traditionally view themselves as being of priestly status (Brahmin, Pandit, and Bhumihar) tend to have a significantly higher ratio of Central_Steppe_MLBA to Indus_Periphery_Cline ancestry than other groups”

(C) Strongest signals of Steppe ancestry in the Gangetic plains were found amongst the Bihari Bhumihars

(D) According to David Reich's genetic research, Bihari Bhumihars were found to have higher Steppe ancestry and lower AHG (Andamanese Hunter-Gatherer)-proxy Indigenous ancestry than Gangetic Plains Brahmins and Rajputs.

In the DNA research on Indian castes by Dr. David Reich, Harvard University and world's most renowned genetic scientist, Bihari Bhumihars were found to have higher Steppe ancestry than Gangetic Plains Brahmins and Rajputs. They were also found to have lower Indigenous ancestry, for which AHG (Andamanese Hunter-Gatherer) was used as a proxy, compared with Gangetic Brahmins and Rajputs.

Model 1 Bihari Bhumihars are estimated to have 28.3% Central Steppe_MLBA-related ancestry and 21.3% AHG-related ancestry, compared with Brahmin_UP (26.4% Steppe, 24.8% AHG), Brahmin_Tiwari (27.0% Steppe, 23.6% AHG), Brahmin_Haryana (24.0% Steppe, 18.8% AHG), and Rajputs (23.5% Steppe, 25% AHG), respectively.
Model 2 Bihari Bhumihars are estimated to have 26.3% Central Steppe_MLBA-related ancestry and 26.4% AHG-related ancestry, compared with Brahmin_UP (25.0% Steppe, 29.1% AHG), Brahmin_Tiwari (25.2% Steppe, 28.2% AHG), Brahmin_Haryana (23.1% Steppe, 25.2% AHG), and Rajputs (21.9% Steppe, 29.5% AHG), respectively.

How to access Harvard research paper's caste ancestry spreadsheet given above - The exact ancestry percentages are provided in David Reich's renowned & widely cited research paper on Indian populations. Official Link - "The Formation of Human Populations in South and Central Asia."

Step 1) Scroll down and navigate to the "Supplementary Material" section at the end of the paper and there will be several downloadable files under it.

Step 2) You will find a downloadable spreadsheet file named "File (aat7487_tables1-5.xlsx)," under the "Supplementary Material" section. Download it.

Step 3) After downloading the spreadsheet mentioned in the previous step, go the the "Table S5" inside the spreadsheets and there you'll find the entire ancestry data of major Indian castes that were part of Harvard's research by Dr. David Reich.

Bhumihars show the highest Steppe ancestry among Brahmin groups in the 2024 genetics/DNA research - Research Paper 2

The 2024 research Distinct Positions of Genetic and Oral Histories: Perspectives from India applied qpAdm modeling to find the proportions of Steppe and Onge-related (AASI or the indigenous Indian component) ancestry and Bhumihars of Bihar came out to have the highest Steppe ancestry (29.0%) among the Brahmin groups, more than Brahmin Tiwari (27.9%), Saryuparin Brahmins (26.1% Steppe), and West Bengal Brahmins (22.3% Steppe). Their estimated Steppe ancestry was also higher than that of the sampled Rajputs (20.8% Steppe) and Khatris (26.9% Steppe).

Conversely, Bhumihars displayed the lowest Onge-related ancestry (20.7%) among the Brahmin groups in the dataset, lower than Brahmin Tiwari (23.4%), Saryupari Brahmins (22.8%), West Bengal Brahmins (30.6%), Rajputs (21.9%) but the Khatris (11.6%) have even lower Onge related ancestry than Bhumihars. Khatris showed nearly half the amount of Onge-related ancestry compared to Gangetic Brahmins and the Bihari Bhumihars.

Source: Distinct positions of genetic and oral histories: Perspectives from India, 2024. This table is inside the sheet-S6 of the downloadable supplementary spreadsheet given with the research paper.

How to access this and view the above given spreadsheet from the research paper - Official Link: "Distinct positions of genetic and oral histories: Perspectives from India, 2024"

Step 1) Go to the link of the research paper and scroll down or navigate to the "Supplemental information" section, under it you'll find the "Download spreadsheet" option. You have to download it to view the entire spreadsheet file containing multiple tables.

Step 2) Inside the spreadsheet, go to the table number 'S6' to find the spreadsheet of the ancestry qpAdm runs from the research posted above.

Research Paper 3

Bhumihars show higher Steppe ancestry compared to other caste groups such as Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Yadavs and Shrivastavas according to a 2020 scientific genetic research titled "The story of the lost twins: decoding the genetic identities of the Kumhar and Kurcha populations from the Indian subcontinent -BMC Genomics, 2020"

The scientific research states -"Bhumihars contained the highest fraction of the Steppe ancestry component"

Source: The story of the lost twins: decoding the genetic identities of the Kumhar and Kurcha populations from the Indian subcontinent - BMC Genomics, 2020

Oxford University research paper & Bhumihar genetics - Research paper 4

Oxford University research paper shows that Bhumihars have higher Steppe ancestry than other groups like Kambojs, Brahmins, Gujjars, Yadavs, Nairs, Dogras, Srivastavas, Reddys, Bunts on 2 different models.

Source: Genetic Affinities and Adaptation of the South-West Coast Populations of India - Genome Biology and Evolution, 2023

Oxford University research paper says that UP Bhumihars and Brahmins form clade with each other

Oxford University research paper highlights that UP Bhumihars and Brahmins are very closely genetically related and form clade with each other, in simpe words, UP Bhumihars and Brahmins share a recent common ancestry and genetically cluster together.

The scientists say in the research that - "We found that Brahmin_Tiwari and Bhumihar_UP forms clade with each other"

Source: Genetic Affinities and Adaptation of the South-West Coast Populations of India - Genome Biology and Evolution, 2023

Research Paper 5

According to a 2021 research, Bihari Bhumihars have higher Eastern European Hunter Gatherer, Western Steppe and Central Steppe than other groups like Kambojs, Dogras, Haviks and Brahmins. This research showed results of 3 different models.

Source: Dissecting the genetic history of the Roman Catholic populations of West Coast India - Human Genetics, 2021
Source: Dissecting the genetic history of the Roman Catholic populations of West Coast India - Human Genetics, 2021
Source: Dissecting the genetic history of the Roman Catholic populations of West Coast India - Human Genetics, 2021

2003 Central Forensic Science Laboratory genetic research says Bhumihars cluster with Brahmins - Research Paper 6

Scientists from the government Central Forensic Science Laboratory reported in their scientific research paper about Bihari upper castes, that Bhumihars were found to be genetically clustering with Brahmins.

Scientists wrote in their conclusion - "The study highlights the status of Bhumihar and Kayasth in the Hindu caste system. The former was found clustering with the Brahmin group (as expected, since Bhumihar is known to be a subclass of Brahmin), whereas the distance between the Brahmin and Kayasth caste groups was found to be large."

Scientists from the government Central Forensic Science Laboratory reported in their scientific research paper about Bihari upper castes, that Bhumihars were found to be genetically clustering with Brahmins.
Source: Genetic profile based upon 15 microsatellites of four caste groups of the eastern Indian state, Bihar. 2003

Research Paper 7

According to a 2022 research Bhumihars have higher Steppe_MLBA ancestry than other groups like Kambojs, Gujjars, Nairs, Brahmins, Dogras, Srivastavas, Reddys, Yadavs, Bunts etc sampled in the research.

Source: Genetic affinities and sub-structuring in Coorg population of Southern India - 2022

Geneticist Razib Khan's comments on Bhumihar genetics and their Steppe/AASI ancestry

Razib Khan, a popular American geneticist who used to write for The New York Times, has stated in his official Blog that Bhumihars have higher levels of Steppe ancestry and moderate AASI ancestry compared with the average Indian and the average Bihari.

He remarked, regarding Bhumihars, that "Bhumihar people in Bihar tend to have more steppe than typical and average amounts of AASI."

Source/Link - Razib Khan's official Blog

Summary

Genetic studies published between 2019 to 2024 suggest that the Bhumihars carry a slightly higher proportion of Bronze Age Steppe ancestry compared to other upper castes of the Indo-Gangetic plains and beyond, except for Jats, Rors and Pashtuns.

Researchers suggest this pattern stems from early historical admixture, as occurred during the formation of all Indian castes, which was then preserved through centuries of endogamy.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aat7487
  2. ↑ Biddanda A, Bandyopadhyay E, de la Fuente Castro C, Witonsky D, Urban Aragon JA, Pasupuleti N, Moots HM, Fonseca R, Freilich S, Stanisavic J, Willis T, Menon A, Mustak MS, Kodira CD, Naren AP, Sikdar M, Rai N, Raghavan M. Distinct positions of genetic and oral histories: Perspectives from India. HGG Adv. 2024 Jul 18;5(3):100305. doi: 10.1016/j.xhgg.2024.100305. Epub 2024 May 8. PMID: 38720459; PMCID: PMC11153255.
  3. ↑ Das, R., Ivanisenko, V.A., Anashkina, A.A. et al. The story of the lost twins: decoding the genetic identities of the Kumhar and Kurcha populations from the Indian subcontinent. BMC Genet 21 (Suppl 1), 117 (2020).
  4. ↑ Das, Ranajit & Ivanisenko, Vladimir & Anashkina, Anastasia & Upadhyai, Priyanka. (2020). The story of the lost twins: decoding the genetic identities of the Kumhar and Kurcha populations from the Indian subcontinent. BMC Genetics. 21. 24-28. 10.1186/s12863-020-00919-2.
  5. ↑ Mukhopadhyay, Anirban & Kumar, Lomous & Sran, Kiran & Thangaraj, Kumarasamy & Thelma, B. (2022). Genetic affinities and sub-structuring in Coorg population of Southern India. 10.1101/2022.07.20.500704.
  6. ↑ Kumar L, Chowdhari A, Sequeira JJ, Mustak MS, Banerjee M, Thangaraj K. Genetic Affinities and Adaptation of the South-West Coast Populations of India. Genome Biol Evol. 2023 Dec 1;15(12):evad225. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evad225. PMID: 38079532; PMCID: PMC10745260.
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