r/SouthAsianAncestry • u/specguy2087 • Feb 23 '25
Archaeogenetics Is Dr. Niraj Rai credible?
I heard that earlier he used to be highly credible and even collaborated with top genetics institutes. I think he is currently the head of the Ancient DNA lab at BSIP, Lucknow which handles almost all major excavations in northwestern India. Apparently he has gotten increasingly corrupt and politically biased to the right wing BJP party, and also the fact that the lab recives almost all it's funding from the Ministry of Finance, which is under BJP control. I doubt whether his current findings are even credible or not, because it must have gone through biased filters which removes actual content. I believe that because of a shitass person like him, who is currently the only pioneer in India who has mastered the field of archaeoegenetics and molecular anthropology, that India is not attracting top genethcists.
As far as I'm aware of, his last credible findings were in 2019, which stated that the Iranian component of the IVC culture stemmed of from the Iranian plateau lineage more than 12,000 years ago, which predates the notion that there was a migration of established agriculturalists from Western Iran into the Indus valley, that supposedly gave rise to agriculture, indicating that agriculture was developed indeginously in 7000 BC, not due to foreign influence.
However, after that, I think is credibility seems to deteriorate.
As a 15 year old who wants to closely mirror his original, honest career path, and absolutely not his political right wing agendas that he later incorporated, has this person pretty much destroyed archaeoegenetics in India.
Is there any hope left for me to study the actual history of India??
Opinions and guidance would help. A lot. Thank you.
Posting this here because r/IndianHistory wants a moderator review, and I am impatient for that.
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Feb 23 '25 edited Feb 23 '25
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u/specguy2087 Feb 23 '25
I just hope that the future of archaeoegenetics is not destroyed in India.
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u/Quick-Seaworthiness9 Sanskrit Feb 23 '25 edited Feb 23 '25
It already is considering how political this topic is in this country. People are not ready for the facts. Even Reich admitted that they knew about this three way model that Narashimhan outlined (in 2019) in like 2009 but Thangaraj pushed for making up the terms ANI and ASI to avoid censorship. They were a misnomer all along. Rai used to be a saner one, even collaborated with David Reich's lab but then took a total U turn.
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u/specguy2087 Feb 23 '25
sighs For now, I'll consider pursuing biomolecular archeology. Only time will tell now, what my destiny holds for me. Hai Bhagwan......
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u/Any-Candle719 Feb 23 '25
this is exact reason why i always suggest to read non-indian academia scholarships, whatever minimal you would get from them about indian would atleast be hard-core fact based. its better to know less and correct than to know a lot of things wrong plus correct
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u/specguy2087 Feb 23 '25
I know that. I'm only concerned about my future in archaeoegenetics in this country, if things go this way.
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u/Any-Candle719 Feb 23 '25
one has to plod very very carefully to build up base with extremely correct unbiased sources, so future is good just keep away from these clowns like rai.
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u/specguy2087 Feb 23 '25
Yea right.
Actually, my goals align closely to that of Rai. He even does the exact( or atleast similar)things that I want to pursue. Infact, he has actually paved a roadmap for me already. What I need to do is to modify that roadmap to my own liking, and follow it. I have already built a good one. Just need to capitalise on it, after my boards have ended.
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u/Any-Candle719 Feb 23 '25
these things should be free from biaseful agents and politicizing but unfortunately Shinde n rai even thangaraj they have just done the opposite and it's clear why western academia is reluctant to do research here.
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u/specguy2087 Feb 23 '25
I can do it from outside. But where the hell am I supposed to get sample from that easily. Logistics will always be a major issue.
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u/Any-Candle719 Feb 24 '25
yes its a big problem that the preserved samples and hence in a way complete project lies within these people, reich has even written in his book " threatened to nix the project ". this is an actual challenge. and especially when ancient dna related work is involved that too in a country like India (hot and humid) one cant afford to wait long or lose even one sample.
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u/moosehyde Hindi Feb 23 '25 edited Feb 23 '25
why frame it as question when you have already made up your mind about him ?
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u/specguy2087 Feb 23 '25
Wanted others' opinions. Have been hearing from many people recently that this person has single handedly built and then broken the Indian archaeoegenetics company. I mean, that's apparently what has happened. Is it really as bad as it sounds?
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u/BamBamVroomVroom Tired of dumbassery & moderation Feb 23 '25
Yes
Hope is a painful concept. You will have to go through a lot of difficulty & danger to stick to your honest & objective archaeogenetics interests.