Scientists from CCMB uncover the genetic ancestry of the Ladakh population

The genetic history of the Ladakhi population has been uncovered by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeo Sciences (BSIP) in Lucknow. The study, led by Dr Kumarasamy Thangaraj from CCMB and Dr Niraj Rai from BSIP, involved analyzing the DNA of 108 individuals from three major communities in Ladakh: Brokpa, Changpa, and Monpa. They compared the Ladakh populations’ DNA with DNA from different regions and also used archaeological and historical records to support their findings. The study, published in the journal Mitochondrion, provides insights into demographic changes in Ladakh over the past 3,000 years.
Director of CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Dr Vinay K Nandicoori, explained that the study confirms the movement of people through the Trans Himalayan corridor and the Silk Route.