Badagas of the Blue Mountains

On 20 May 2022, Ganesh Ramalingam(HR Professional, Leadership Mentor & Social Service and Senior members from Badaga Community – Prof.TM Kullan (86), Retd Principal, Govt. Collegiate Service, Mr. S Raman (91), Retd. Government School Head Master, Mr. T Ramakrishnan (78), Retd HPF & Spiritual Service and Mr. R Yogesh Retd. Banker & Author of Badaga Bare(y) met the Honourable Chief Minister of TN at Ooty for the following causes;

1.Listing the Badaga Community under Linguistic Minority as their language Badaga is officially categorised as one of the Definitely Endangered Languages in the word.

2. Reiteration on the ST STATUS – Follow Up Action with the Central Government. (Ganesh Ramalingam is also personally following up with the Central Government Authorities on ST Status for Badagas).

(Kunna) Hubbathalai Subban Moorthy is a differently abled person.

HS Moorthy, the Indian Coach of Table Tennis Team, who has just returned from Deaflympics Brazil 2022. Indian Team lost in the third round. The Indian Contingent met PM Modi on 21 May 2022.

HS Moorthy is deaf and dumb. When he was 3 years old he lost his speech and could not walk. His father, popularly known as Malaysia Subban, since he had stayed in Malaysia for many years, was in Southern Railways, Chennai. Moorthy was admitted at Little Flower Convent for deaf and dumb. He completed 5th STD and then was shifted to St.Louis institute for deaf and blind, Chennai where he completed 11th Std & got experience in Printing Press.

There after he joined HPF, Ooty and got prizes in the All India Public Sectors Sports for many years. While he was in HPF, he was selected as a best Industrial worker and got prize from then Governor of Tamil Nadu Sri. Kurana.

 HS Moorthy represented Tamil Nadu State many times in the National Sports championship for deaf in Table Tennis .

He represented India in Olympics for deaf in Table Tennis held in Nepal and Bangkok 

During 2017 he attended the Olympic for deaf in Table tennis as Indian team coach at Turkey 

Recently Sports Authority of India (New Delhi) has chosen HS Moorthy as a Selector to pick up the Indian Table Tennis team to participate in the Olympics for deaf to be held at Brazil from 30-04-2022 to15-05-2022. He has been selected as the coach for Indian Table tennis team, also .

Selected players from Tamilnadu and Moorthy were honoured by Tamil Nadu Chief minister Sri. MK Stalin in his office.

Presently HS Moorthy is in New Delhi giving coaching to the table tennis team upto 29-04-2022. The Indian team will be leaving for Brazil on 30-04-2022. Olympics for deaf will be held at Brazil from 01-05-2022 to15-05-2022. 

HS Moorthy is married to a lady from Yedapalli Village and blessed with a son and daughter. Son, from IIM Lucnow, is a Senior Manager (HR) in Brigade Construction Enterprise Ltd, Bengaluru and daughter is a teacher in Chaitanya School, Coimbatore.

At present he is working as Table Tennis coach in River Side public school Kotagiri.

Hubbathalai Subban Moorthy, you have proved that physical disabilities are no impediments for achieving higher goals in life.

We are proud of you, Moorthy!

(Information – Kind courtesy H Subban Mani, brother of HS Moorthy)

Badaga Day (15th May 2022)

Greetings to all Badagas. Proud to be an Indian: Proud to be a Badaga

May 15th is celebrated as Badaga day, every year. Many may not be aware that this has been done from 1993 onwards. The Porangadu Seeme (Mainly Kotagiri Area) has been celebrating this day as ‘Ari Gowder Day’ also, in honour of Rao Bahadur H B Ari Gowder of Hubbathalai [See the link Great Badagas] who had done a lot for the Badaga Community, at Nattakal ‘Naakku Betta Koottu Hane’ (Naakku Betta Meeting Ground) which had seen many historic Badaga gatherings for over 100 years. Nattakal is near Kerben Village [near Kotagiri], on the main road from Coonoor.

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The Badaga Day, 15 May 2022, is being live telecast by Nakkubetta TV under the guidance of Ramakrishna

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(From the archieves)

Badaga Day – 15 May 2007

Badaga FlagMay 15th is celebrated as Badaga day, every year. Many may not be aware that this has been done from 1993 onwards. The Porangadu Seeme (Mainly Kotagiri Area) has been celebrating this day as ‘Ari Gowder Day’ also, in honour of Rao Bahadur H B Ari Gowder of Hubbathalai [See the link Great Badagas] who had done a lot for the Badaga Community, at Nattakal ‘Naakku Betta Koottu Hane’ (Naakku Betta Meeting Ground) which had seen many historic Badaga gatherings for over 80 years. Nattakal is near Kerben Village [near Kotagiri], on the main road from Coonoor.

Badaga Day – 15 May 2007

Ari Gowder’s photo being garlanded, Porangadu Seeme Gowda Bheema Gowder addressing the gathering, Part of the crowd, Ari gowder’s daughter in law Mrs.Rukmani Bhojraj being honoured with a ‘ponnadai’ Shawl

While I was proud and honoured to attend the function this year, what saddened me is the fact that there seems no unity among the Badagas what with trivial and minor disputes resulting in boycott of this function by certain hattis at the behest of their ‘Gowdas’. I beleive, in the earlier years, this function attracted a lot of crowd. To add more dismay, there was a parallel Badagar Day celebrations at Ooty, organised by some self appointed Badaga leaders along with corrupt self serving and discredited politicians.

At Nattakal function, I was pleasantly surprised to see BADAGA FLAG being hoisted. Badaga Flag is completety white and I felt, it is appropriate that white colour has been chosen, as the same is totally identified with badagas [due to our dress] as well as HETHE AMMA etc.

In the function, many prominent Gowdas spoke and high lighted the contribution of Rao Bahadur Ari Gowder to our community.

It was also announced by the family of Ari Gowder (by his grand daughter Tara Jayaprakash & myself) that from next academic year onwards, three girls and three boys [from the Badagas] who get the first three positions in plus two exams will be given a cash incentive of Rs.3000,Rs.2000 & Rs.1000 each. This amount will be distributed during the next badaga day (in 2008) at Nattakal. Also, we announced that for the benefit of all those badagas who have to go to Mettupalayam and stay there due to sickness, can stay, along with their family members, in two houses located at ‘Ari Gowder Thottam’, Edayarpalayam road [near housing unit colony]. A nominal fee (to meet electrical & water charges etc) may be charged. The duration of stay could be from a couple of days to a few weeks. (For details please contact ; Wing Commander Bellie Jayaprakash at 8638677373 or 9486631864).

Towards the end of the function, a sad incident of an eye being removed from Maasi Hethai from Aravenu Village was revealed. It was mentioned that the doctors at an eye hospital at Coimbatore, due to their total neglect and callous attitude, removed her GOOD eye instead of the person lying in the next bed in the hospital. She produced photocopies of her stay and medical history. Her case was highlighted by Mrs.Indu K Mallah, Badaga activist who was also a member of the Nilgiri District Cosumer Court for five years. She strongly recommended that this case be taken up for suitable compensation by the concerned hospital.

Maasi Hethe’s case being highlighted by Mrs.Indu K Mallah

The function concluded with lunch (briyani with pachadi) served to all those who attended the meeting.

This function was covered by CTN Cable TV network . Incidentally, CTN has a lot of Badaga content in their programmes with songs, dances, serials etc. Hats off to them and do not miss their Badaga programmes if you are in their coverage area (Coonoor & Kotagiri surroundings).

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As announced, our offer of free accomodation  at Mettupalayam for looking after sick persons was utilised by [retired head constable] Bhoja Gowder from Horasolai Village for the benefit of his wife Lakshmi Ammal. After staying in Mettupalayam for a few months, he has taken her back to hatti on 12-02-08.

Incidentally, Bhoju [as I call him] is a famous football player and in his hay days represented Tamil Nadu Police.

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belliejayaprakash©2022

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For complete info go here

I had written the following post in way back in 2016 – Wg Cdr Bellie Jayaprakash

Who are Badagas and what is their origin?

Badagas have been living in the Nilgiris [Naakku Betta – four mountains] for many, many centuries. Their origin, like that of Todas, Kothas or Kurumas, is still a mystery. With very distinct customs, culture and traditions, not to forget the language, what we know about Badagas is far less than what we do not know. But there is absolutely no doubt that, in my mind, that we are an indigenous tribe of the Nilgiris

Many, even among the Badagas, feel that calling ourselves as Tribal is demeaning. I equate these people with those who considered it below dignity to call themselves as Indians. I am a proud Indian and a proud Badaga. Both are ‘accidents’ of birth. Happy ones, at that.

Now, why do we need the status of ST? Is it only for the economic benefits that come with it?

If you compare with other tribes like Todas, Kothas and Kurumas in the Nilgiris, Badagas are far ahead in almost all the social factors. About two hundred years ago, all the hill  tribes of the Nilgiris, were, more or or less on the same ‘plane’. The drastic changes have occurred only in the last hundred odd years when education was given the top priority by this community and girl child was given importance, even if it was not an equal one.

Even poor and daily wage earning Badagas ensure, at least a majority of them, that their wards get educated that too in an English medium school.

The ST status is required not to compare/compete with other tribes but to get the best of education in prime institutes like IITs. Basically being intelligent, Badagas can easily get admissions with some ‘push’, available to ‘STs’. Same would be true for clearing the UPSC examinations. Had there been this ST status granted earlier, there could have been a dozen or so Badaga IAS officers by now.

Secondly, Nilgiris is the only place which Badagas can claim to be their native place. The Nilgiris (district) has only one parliamentary constituency and alas, that one is RESERVED. Meaning Badagas cannot contest as long as this ‘reservation’ remains. Effectively putting a stop to the political ambition of the natives of the land. ST status eliminates this anomaly.

With the tea leaf prices crashing to all time low, Badagas have lost the main source of their economic independence. Added to this is the difficulties in farming or growing vegetables and other cash crops due to the ‘free roaming’ Bisons, elusive wild boars and destructive monkeys. With no industries worth the name located in the Nilgiris, educated Badaga Youth has to seek jobs in the plains. I know of many Badagas who have sold their small land holdings and settled in the plains.

Not that all the Badagas are in highly paid jobs. Many work on daily wage basis. Even in the plains like Coimbatore or Tripur, many work as servers in hotels or as Nurses/aayas in hospitals.

So, ST status helps economically too.

Todas may not have fully benefited with the ST status economically, basically due to the fact that, majority of the community has been addicted to the liquor. The free flow of ‘daaru/drinks’ is the biggest curse for the mountain people. Unfortunately, the State Government has chosen to turn a blind eye and a generation has been destroyed. Though, Badagas too are ‘very liberal‘ with liquor, luckily there are many ‘teetotalers’ as a balancing factor.

ST status, in my opinion, will help the Badagas economically, educationally and politically and will definitely help in preserving the traditions and culture, the most noteworthy being the famous Badaga hospitality.

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There are a few devoted and dedicated Badagas who share the view that their Community should come under ST – Scheduled Tribe for many reasons.

They have carried out a relentless campaign to achieve the same. Lead by the energetic Prof.Kulla Gowder, for whom age is just a number.

Now, this group BADAGAS FOR ST is being guided by the future hope of Badagas Ganesh Ramalingam

A delegation of seven Badagas belonging to this great movement recently visited New Delhi to press the case for ST status for Badagas and met concerned Ministery officials cum Sign off Authorities – The Registrar General of India, Tribal Secretary of India, National Commission for Schduled Tribes.

I thank Ganesh Ramalingam for sending the following Status Report.

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Badagas ST Status – A Brief of the Journey till now

Ganesh Ramalingam who is spear heading the movement:

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BADAGAS as ST – wrtten in 22/03/2019

Many Badagas are under the mistaken impression that if they are brought under the “Scheduled Tribe”, it is a degrading step. I do not think so. Badagas are one of the ‘ORIGINAL’ tribes of the Nilgiris along with Todas, Kothas and Kurumas.

The enormous improvements achieved by Badagas in all social factors, in spite of many impediments, should make us feel proud. This success is attributed to one SINGLE factor. Education. For that we must remember with gratitude the pioneer, visionary and philanthropist Rao Bahadur [Hubbathalai Jogi Gowder] Bellie Gowder who built the first FREE School in 1920s for Badagas – along with free hostel accommodation & Food in Hubbathalai and his son Rao Bahadur HB Ari Gowder who fore-saw that in educating a girl, indeed we are educating a family and hence insisted on education for girls and encouraged it fully.

To know more about Rao Bahadur Bellie Gowder, considered the undisputed Nakku Betta Leader during his days, go to http://badaga-general.blogspot.com/2011/11/rao-bahadur-h-j-bellie-gowder.html

இந்தியர் என்று எழுந்து நிற்போம் , படகர் என்று நிமிர்ந்து நிற்போம்

The road in front of the West Mambalam Railway Station in Chennai is named after the Great Badaga Leader of the Nilgiri Hills Rao bahadur H B ARI GOWDER who donated the land for public purposes. But unfortunately, the name was misspelt as ARYA GOWDER Road.

The Badaga Association, Chennai has always been celebrating Ari Gowder’s birthday, 4th Dec, every year, at the site with a grand function.

Ganesh Ramalingam along with other members has taken keen interest to get the name of the road correctly changed to ARI GOWDER ROAD. The petition and other details are given below.

Incidentally, Ganesh Ramalingam, who is highly educated and held many big posts, including the Vice President, Citibank, has taken over the mantle of solving many issues that have been agitating the minds of many Badagas in the Blue Mountains, known as Nakku Betta. Rather young in age, in his early forties, Ganesh’s knowledge in many fields, including Legal Affairs, is well recognised and much sought after.

We sincerely hope that Ganesh Ramalingam will fulfil the void that has been in existence ever since Rao Bahadur Ari Gowder’s death in 1971.

Dr. H.Bhojraj, B.E.(Hons.),M.D. ( Acu) Scientist Healer

There are many educated, talented and highly recognised Badagas about whom not much is known outside since they are simple and humble and choose to keep their achievements to themselves.

One such person is Dr. Bhojraj, son of Mr.Hala Gowder and Rukkammal from Kiyoor Kokkalada hatti (Mekkunadu Seemay). He studied in Kokkalada Government High School up to tenth and completed in SSLC (11th Std) in Bishop Ubagarasamy High School, Tirupur. Did his PUC from Government Arts College, Ooty. Completed his B.E. degree from ACCET, Karaikudi.

He is married to Mrs. Meera, from Mullimalai and grand daughter of Mr.M.S. Linga Gowder. Behind every successful man, there is a woman aptly suits her.

He is the First Badaga Scientist of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation.

I am so happy and honoured to present his life story in his own words.

A HARDCORE ENGINEER TO ACUPUNCTURE DOCTOR: The Journey So Far…

By H BHOJRAJ, Chairman, Academy for Acupressure and Acupunture

“The Only Time You Should Ever Look Back Is to See How Far You Have Come” – Anonymous

I completed my Engineering in Mechanical field from Madurai University in the year 1971 with Honours and got my admission in IISc for MS in the same academic year. I had also just recovered from a stomach problem after consulting a specialist in Coimbatore. The elixir he prescribed solved my digestive problem within a month and also improved my skin condition (I also had to apply a solution prescribed by a skin specialist for this.) 

All was well… In the final year of my engineering, I had a gastric problem and took the exam with the assurance of the then Principal Late. Shri W P Vijayaraghavan, that I would be allowed to use the toilet in between the examination. All went on smooth and I also received my degree with Honours. However, I did not join IISc even though I got admission based on my mark sheets up to the fourth year. 

YEAR 1972 THAT GOT ME HERE…

There was a time, I was searching for a job. We never got any newspaper in our village but somehow, I managed to get ‘The Hindu’ from Coonoor and started applying for a suitable job. I applied for the Junior Engineer post at TNEB and was selected in 1972 after the interview in Chennai. In the same year I also got married but was jobless from others point of view as the order was to be issued within a ‘few months’. To effectively use this waiting period, I applied for the JRF post in PSG Tech, Coimbatore and joined Prof Subramanian in Mechanical Engineering Department as Junior Research Fellow to assist him on thermal fatigue on metals along with other two Professors.

July 1972, I saw the advertisement for Scientific Assistance C with BE qualification for Indo Soviet Satellite Project in Bangalore. In October 1972 I received the call for interview letter. I was on double mind – whether to attend or not as I already have a job in TNEB. 

It was my wife who motivated me to go to Bangalore and that one decision truly changed my entire course of life. I attended the interview at IISc Bangalore and it was Prof U R Rao himself conducting the interviews, handpicking the best from the Universities! I got the appointment order within a week and joined Indo Soviet Satellite Project (ISSP) in Peenya Sheds A1 to A6 which were then half completed.

It was much later that I came to know Mr Suryanarayana Rao our AAA Trustee had only screened our applications and selected me for the interview. The project name was changed to the Indian Scientific Satellite Project (ISSP) and later after Aryabhata launch in 1975 it became a Centre known as ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) and a few years later renamed as U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) to honour the Father Of Satellite Technology in INDIA.

Prof Rao in my first meeting asked me about my research project in PSG Tech and as soon as I mentioned Thermal Fatigue, he asked me to join the Thermal Group for Satellite Thermal control. I was the first one in that Group and the senior people from Trivandrum joined after a month or two. 

Mr H Naryanamurthy was heading our group and I attended my Boss’s wedding in Tumkur in middle 1973. He was introduced to all his relatives as a father of a child since my daughter was born on 19th April 1973. India’s first Satellite Aryabhata was launched on the same day in 1975 from Russia and I was one among those 50 Engineers who took part in the launch campaign from Kapustheniar near Volgograd. 

Dr U R Rao encouraged me to take up higher studies in 1984 and my application was accepted for MS by research in IIT Madras. I did my course work very successfully got excellent ratings in all five subjects with Prof Shastri and Prof S P Venkatesan. Due to the heavy workload in the office, I could not concentrate on the project work and submit it in time for the degree. Still, I consider my stay in Kaveri Hostel for four months in IIT as my best in life for learning with really brilliant students nearly 15 years younger than me. My theoretical ability and thinking capability changed a lot after this study in IIT.

HEALTH-RELATED CHANGE

All was well until 1976 but my wife developed slight wheezing problem in 1977. The Doctors declared it as allergy and bronchitis. Her treatment went on for five years. Our Trustee Dr Kanaka Rao was our consulting Doctor in 1980. Three times till 1982, she was admitted to the hospital with an Asthma attack. With intravenous injection and steroids, she got back to normal mode within 3 days. One specialist suggested we go out of Bangalore to avoid this weather and the pollen pollution at that time. 

We decided to stay put in Bangalore and fortunately Dr P C Wodayar our Office Approved Doctor suggested my wife take up Yoga under Dr Nagarathna since Vivekananda Kendra had been treating patients with Yoga Therapy particularly Asthma. I admitted her to Yoga classes in Malleshwaram and our pleasant surprise, she recovered fully within a month. After six months, she asked me to take her to Dr Nagarathna for joining the Yoga Teachers Course. I used to take her in my Vespa scooter every day at 6 PM and bring her back at 8 PM. Dr Nagendra, presently Vice-Chancellor, VKYOGAS was giving special lectures and asked me also to join the course instead of sitting there. After three months I stood first in the exams both in theory and practicals. It changed my life. We both served as voluntary yoga teachers for Vivekananda Kendra for eight years till 1992.

Dr Jiten Bhatt visited Bangalore in 1992 and was giving free Acupressure class, which was attended by my wife and my sister in law. I also attended one free class and never believed his concepts mainly because of our scientific background. When I experimented with the single point ie root of the thumbnail for the headache it worked like a miracle for me. I experimented with many of my colleagues and it worked. I took it seriously and asked Dr Jiten Bhat to give a course for one full day. Nearly 400 people attended that course held at the Institution of Engineers on December 25, 1992 which was also recorded on TV camera. Based on his advice I wrote the book on Acupressure and Fitness and published it with the help of Dr R P Sahu, President, Space Officers Association (SOA) and distributed it almost free to all officers at a nominal cost of Rs 10 with Rs 20 as subsidy from SOA.

I attended almost all Alternate Therapy courses conducted in Bangalore. Radionics by Dr Evan Comb from France, Pranic Healing by Dr Hector from Philipines, Reiki healing by Shri Sundararajan from Singapore, Dr Nagendran from Thanjore on Acupuncture, Dr Anton Jayasurya from Sri Lanka on Acupuncture, Dr Mohan Selvan from Chennai and Dr Violetta from Russia on SuJok Acupuncture and Dr Subash Mani from Chennai on Dorn Therapy.

Based on my research I formulated my acupuncture theory combining Classical Acupuncture and Su Jok acupuncture and started taking classes in the nineties. Our scientific community was so much impressed and they wanted it in a book form. The book “The drugless path to good health” was released by Dr Surendra Pal in the year 2000. I seriously attended the course and got my degree in Acupuncture from Medicina Alternativa, Sri Lankan Open University in the same year 2000. The degree was awarded in Bangalore by Dr Anton Jayasurya in the presence of 400 participants from all over India. 

My journey as Doctor started in the year 2000 and I thank all those who supported me to start the Academy for research. I enjoyed my post-retirement much more due to this noble profession which helped many people to learn and give relief to the needy. My main aim is to get recognition from the government for this scientific therapy and start an integrated hospital either in Bangalore or in Nilgiris within the next few years. the recognition from the government for this scientific therapy and start an integrated hospital either in Bangalore or in Nilgiris within next few years.

I am sure the life and achievements of Dr.Bhojraj are truly inspirational.

Proud of you Bhoj – Wg Cdr JP

R Anandhan is an authority on Badaga/Badagu/Badugu language and has written and published a book entitled “A Grammar of Badugu: A Primitive Dravidian Language” recently. He had also developed a script for the language. He has been doing research on Badaga/Badugu language for the past thirty odd years.

A Grammar of Baḍugu A PrimitiveDraviḍian language is another groundbreaking piece of research into the Baḍugu language. This book introduces new ideas and methods to researching the Baḍugu language in particular and Draviḍian languages in general. This book gives the reader a better insight into understanding the complexities of Baḍugu grammar. Above all, this book tries to establish not only the autonomous status but also the primitiveness of the Baḍugu language.

His other book is Badugu Place Names deciphered

This book A Grammar of Baḍugu A PrimitiveDraviḍian language can be purchased online using the following links. The price is Rs.330/-

Amazon
https://www.amazon.in/dp/B09RHCHNW7/ref=sr_1_1?crid=185VGLRMKEY21&keywords=badugu+grammar&qid=1643524782&sprefix=badugu+grammar%2Caps%2C923&sr=8-1

Flipkart
https://www.flipkart.com/grammar-badugu-primitive-dravidian-language/p/itm514ee35969e43?pid=9798885552295&lid=LSTBOK9798885552295NNBHHH&marketplace=FLIPKART&q=badugu+grammar&store=bks&srno=s_1_1&otracker=search&otracker1=search&fm=SEARCH&iid=5d79f2d8-55dd-4aed-9389-b3f0b3cec897.9798885552295.SEARCH&ppt=hp&ppn=homepage&ssid=oc0jlo3wtc0000001643524958701&qH=d91ebb754c51cbef

Notion Press:
https://notionpress.com/read/a-grammar-of-badugu-a-primitive-dravidian-language

Badaga Migration – the myth and the MISTAKE

The Professor who corrected the colonial blunder about Badaga migration !!!

Ethnography is the study of peoples and cultures with their customs, habits, and mutual differences. Ever since, British rule in 1800, foreign Ethnographers have been studying the native people of Nilgiris.

Ethnographic and general accounts of Nilgiris and its people began with Evans Macpherson (1820) followed by James Hough (1829), Henry Harkness (1832), Bernhard Schmid (1837),  Harry Congreve(1847), Richard Burton (1851), Rev.Metz (1856), John Shrott (1868), William Marshall (1873), Breeks (1873), Grigg (1880), Edgar Thurston and Natesa Sastri (1898), Francis (1906) and Rivers (1908). This was followed by local writers and later by Western scholars from America, Germany, UK and so on.

They wrote about the different communities on the Nilgiris  including the Badagas. They had their different viewpoints. But they had one common view. That is,  Badagas migrated from Karnataka some 300 or 500 or 800 years ago. Every writer repeated this religiously as if it was a God given truth. Many Badaga scholars and elders have questioned this conclusion over the years.

But where is the evidence?

Gareth Davey is UK scholar with a Ph.D in Anthropology and Psychology. He has authored several books and articles on varied subjects and has done extensive work in Asia. In 2018 he wrote a book, ‘Quality of Life and Well Being in an Indian Ethnic Community: The Case of Badagas’.

He reviewed all the literature written about the Badagas over the past 200 years and raised a simple, basic question- Where is the evidence to show Badagas migrated from Karnataka? The hundreds of books written till then had only one evidence- some Badagas told they came from Mysore. Who were they? On what basis they said that? Did they show any evidence? Nothing was known.

Now, Prof. Davey asks how so many scholars from so many countries repeated the same claim in their books without looking for any evidence- anthropological, archeological, and historical or any other source. No scholar, Indian or Western, has come forward with any evidence.

The problem, Prof. Davey, is that all these scholars seemed to have made up their mind about Badaga migration even before studying or researching the Badagas. 

Prof. Davey categorically states, “Badagas have been misrepresented in the literature with a migrant identity. Grammatical homogeneity of Badagu and the language of Kotas, Kurumbas and Todas might indicate they have always resided in the Nilgiri hills. Also genetic studies show Badagas share similarities with other indigenous people of Nilgiris.

In summary, separation of Badagas from other people based on history and migration seems unfounded”.  It is poetic justice that it has taken a UK scholar to undo the injustice of a 200 year old Colonial Blunder !!! 

• Dharmalingam Venugopal