As an outcome of a national seminar in India, this book take stock of the status of tribal identity with reference to India's national development and globalization from a historical perspective. It also underlines the factors and conditions responsible for: the origin, functioning, and change in indices of tribal identity; the emergence of new identity; the interface between traditional and modern identity; and the overall impact of changes in identity on their material and non-material culture, as well as their physical and social quality of life.