Scientists have found a distinct genetic link between the Veddas of Sri Lanka and India, opening a new chapter in genetic studies.
- A distinct indigenous population of the island nation, Veddas have succeeded in preserving their cultural identity for a millennium.
- One of the researchers felt that this unique discovery challenges the conventional isolation-by-distance model and underscores the distinct demographic history of the Vedda.
- Isolation-by-distance is a concept that describes how genetic differentiation between populations increases as the geographic distance between them increases. This concept arises due to limited gene flow between populations because they live apart.
- Key findings from the research indicate that despite the lack of close linguistic similarities, the Vedda people share a significant genetic link with the ethnic populations in India.
Source: BL
