PRAYAGRAJ: A first-of-its-kind genome-wide study has found that Sindhi communities living across India and Pakistan have retained a remarkably strong shared genetic identity despite being dispersed by the Partition and decades of migration, offering fresh scientific evidence of their deep-rooted connection to the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation.The study, carried out by researchers from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in collaboration with Gujarat University, analysed more than 730,000 DNA markers from 113 Sindhi individuals and compared the findings with genomic data from nearly 2,000 people belonging to other populations.The researchers say the results establish that Sindhis on both sides of the border are linked not only by language, culture and history, but also by a distinctive genomic signature tracing back thousands of years.The research was led by Chanchal Devnani of BHU along with geneticist Prof Gyaneshwer Chaubey, in collaboration with Khushbu Gautam and Prof Rakesh Rawal of Gujarat University.According to the researchers, the findings provide the first comprehensive genome-wide assessment of what they describe as the “Sindhi diaspora” — a population that dispersed from its ancestral homeland yet preserved a common genetic identity.Scientists found that between 60% and 66% of the DNA of present-day Sindhis can be traced to populations that inhabited the ancient Indus Valley region.Their analysis suggests that the major genetic admixture shaping the modern Sindhi gene pool occurred around 2,500 to 2,900 years ago, indicating that the community had already developed a distinct genetic identity more than two millennia ago.The findings also reinforce archaeological and cultural evidence linking present-day Sindhis with one of the world’s earliest urban civilisations. Researchers point to Ajrak, the traditional block-printed cotton textile regarded as a symbol of Sindhi identity, as an enduring cultural marker.The characteristic trefoil motif seen on modern Ajrak resembles patterns depicted on the shawl worn by the famous “Priest-King” statue excavated from Mohenjo-daro, suggesting a continuity of tradition stretching back nearly 5,000 years.Following the Partition in 1947, when Sindh became part of Pakistan, large numbers of Sindhi Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India, settling mainly in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and several other states.Despite this large-scale displacement, the study found that the core genetic structure of Sindhi communities has remained largely intact.A state-wise analysis covering Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana revealed a consistent genetic profile among Indian Sindhis, suggesting that migration across different regions did not significantly alter their ancestral genomic composition.The researchers, however, identified one notable difference between Sindhis in India and Pakistan. Pakistani Sindhis showed significantly higher levels of identical DNA segments, reflecting a greater degree of inbreeding associated with the continued practice of marriages between close relatives.Indian Sindhis, by contrast, displayed lower levels of inbreeding, a trend researchers attribute to wider social interaction and marriages across different communities after migration following the Partition.Lead author Chanchal Devnani said, “The study demonstrates that Sindhi populations residing in India and Pakistan remain closely connected at the genomic level despite decades of geographical separation.”Prof Gyaneshwer Chaubey compared the Sindhi experience with that of the Jewish diaspora. “The community’s dispersal across countries has not erased its deep ancestral roots.“Partition scattered them across different nations, yet their DNA continues to preserve a link with the 5,000-year-old Indus Valley civilisation,” he said.Researchers believe the study highlights how advances in population genetics can complement archaeology and history, providing new insights into ancient migrations while underscoring the shared origins that continue to connect communities across modern political borders.The study titled ‘Blending borders: reconstructing the genetic history of the Sindhi population’, has been published in a journal called Human Genetics published by Springer Nature.
