Ladakh is a high-altitude region, characterised by an alternating valley-range configuration with complex terrain and micro-climates operating over the terrain-facets and snowfall. The altitude varies from about 3000 metres in Kargil to more than 8000 metres in Karakoram.
It lies at a strategic location between the Indus River valley and the Hindukhush Mountains, which makes this “Land of high passes” one of the major routes for movement of people. Through the years, the region has faced multi-layered cultural movements, genetic assimilation and demographic changes.
The initial settlement in the years goes back to the early Neolithic age (12,000 years ago) and still continues despite its harsh, inhospitable and cold climate. In a first high-throughput mitochondrial DNA study, scientists led by JC Bose Fellow, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) Kumarasamy Thangaraj and Niraj Rai, senior scientist, DST-Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow, have unravelled the genetic history of the Ladakhi population.
After analysing DNA of 108 individuals from three major communities — Brokpa, Changpa and Monpa of Ladakh — they compared the DNA sequence of Ladakh populations with modern and ancient DNA sequences from South Asia, East Asia, Tibet and West Eurasia, and corroborated their findings with archaeological and historical records. “The maternal genetic lineages of the Brokpa, Changpa and Monpa populations of Ladakh region are related to lineages that are commonly found in South Asia, East Asia, and Tibet,” said Dr. Thangaraj, in an official release on Friday.
Changpa and Monpa people were found to be sharing common maternal genetic ancestor, while Brokpas are distinct and had suffered population decline about 1000-2000 years ago. Changpa and Monpa populations had also showed genetic affinity with Tibeto-Burman speakers.
“This study strongly suggests Brokpas are the most ancient settlers of the region, with very deep mitochondrial lineage going back to Neolithic period,” said Dr Rai. “These findings conclusively indicate the demographic changes and population transitions in Ladakh region are associated with migrations from East Asia, Tibet, South Asia and more recently from west Eurasia,” said director, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, Mahesh G. Thakkar.
CCMB Director Vinay K. Nandicoori explained that this study further confirms and supports the movement of people through the Trans Himalayan corridor and the silk route. This study has thus helped fill the gap in the history of demographic changes and population transformations of Ladakh region since Bronze age (3000 years ago) and how they relate with contemporary Eurasians.
The finding was published recently in the journal ‘Mitochondrion’. Other institutes involved are Archaeological Survey of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Archaeological Survey of India, Mini Circle Leh, UT Ladakh, Panjab University, Chandigarh and AcSIR, Ghaziabad.
