Madhumala Chattopadhyay, who befriended Andamans’ isolated Jarawa tribals

A Kolkata-born researcher, Madhumala participated in the first friendly contact ever made with the hostile Sentinelese of the Andamans way back on January 4, 1991

Tribune News Service

Updated At : 03:25 PM Jan 20, 2025 IST

Madhumala Chattopadhyay, a Kolkata-born researcher. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal
When the Election Commission recently enrolled the long-reclusive Jarawa tribals of Andamans as voters, one particular story lurked in the background. This was about Madhumala Chattopadhyay.
Madhumala Chattopadhyay, a Kolkata-born researcher, participated in the first friendly contact ever made with the hostile Sentinelese of the Andamans way back on January 4, 1991.
Madhumala with the Jarawas during a research trip in the 1990s.
She later became the first woman anthropologist to make a friendly contact with another set of secluded natives, the Jarawas.
The anthropologist recalls with pride her forays into the world of Andaman tribes, long perceived as hostile.

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Madhumala Chattopadhyay, a Kolkata-born researcher. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

When the Election Commission recently enrolled the long-reclusive Jarawa tribals of Andamans as voters, one particular story lurked in the background. This was about Madhumala Chattopadhyay.

Madhumala Chattopadhyay, a Kolkata-born researcher, participated in the first friendly contact ever made with the hostile Sentinelese of the Andamans way back on January 4, 1991.

Madhumala with the Jarawas during a research trip in the 1990s.

She later became the first woman anthropologist to make a friendly contact with another set of secluded natives, the Jarawas.

The anthropologist recalls with pride her forays into the world of Andaman tribes, long perceived as hostile.

Unlock Exclusive Insights with The Tribune Premium

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