AyushAmar at 22:54, 7 February 2026

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{{short description|Indian anthropologist (1928–2016)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox academic
| name = Indera Paul Singh
| image = Indera Paul Singh (anthropologist).png
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1928|01|20}}<ref name="ISSN">{{cite newsletter |title=ISS Newsletter |volume=4 |issue=2 |date=July–December 2016 |website=[[Indian Sociological Society]] |accessdate=21 July 2020 |url=http://www.insoso.org/images/Newsletters/ISS_NEWSLETTER_JULY-DECEMBER_2016_final_-Copy.pdf}}</ref>
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2016|09|27|1928|02|20}}<ref name="ISSN"/>
| death_place =
| occupation = Anthropologist
| period =
| known_for =
| boards = Former Executive council and [[Academic council]] member of University of Delhi
| awards =
| education = [[Doctor of Philosophy]]
| alma_mater = [[University of Delhi]] (M.A. and Ph.D.)
| thesis_title = Inheritance of Fingerball Patterns in a Human Population (Ph.D.)<ref>{{cite web |title=Department of Anthropology {{!}} University of Delhi {{!}} Ph.D. recipients |website=University of Delhi |place=New Delhi, India |url=http://anthro.du.ac.in/PhD/phd_recipients.pdf |access-date=27 July 2020}}</ref>
| thesis_url =
| thesis_year = 1959
| school_tradition =
| doctoral_advisor =
| academic_advisors =
| influences = 
| era =
| discipline = Anthropology
| sub_discipline = [[Physical anthropology]]<ref>{{cite web |first=Mario D. |last=Zamora |others=Others |title=Anthropological Diplomacy: Issues and Principles. Studies in Third World Societies, Publication Number Twenty |page=151 |publication-date=June 1982 |publisher=Department of Anthropology, [[College of William & Mary]] |place=Virginia, USA |website=[[Institute of Education Sciences]] |url=https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED241393.pdf |access-date=18 August 2020}}</ref>
| workplaces = Former associate secretary general, [[International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences]]
| doctoral_students = 
| notable_students = 
| main_interests =
| notable_works =
| notable_ideas =
| influenced = 
}}

'''Indera Paul Singh''' (20 January 1928 – 27 September 2016) was an Indian [[anthropologist]] who had served at prominent positions in several Indian and international anthropological organizations.

He was the first recipient of a doctorate degree in anthropology from the [[University of Delhi]] and also served as a member of its executive and [[academic council]]. He studied various branches of anthropology, and conducted field research in northern India and northwestern Himalayas.

==Education==
Singh did [[10+2|Intermediate of Science]] in medical stream at the [[Hindu College, Delhi|Hindu College]] of the University of Delhi in India, and completed his master's in anthropology from the university in 1950. From 1950 to 1952, he obtained "specialized training in anthropology" at the [[Franz Weidenreich]] Anthropological Institute of [[Goethe University Frankfurt]] in Germany. In 1959, he became the first ever student of the University of Delhi to obtain a [[Ph.D.]] with a specialty in anthropology.<ref name="IA">{{cite journal |journal=Indian Anthropologist |title=Professor Indera P. Singh (20 January 1928 – 27 September 2016) |volume=47 |issue=2 |first=Vinay Kumar |last=Srivastava |editor1-first=Nilika |editor1-last=Mehrotra |editor2-first=Sumit Saurabh |editor2-last=Srivastava |editor3-first=Mahima |editor3-last=Nayar |date=July–December 2017 |publisher=Indian Anthropological Association |place=Delhi, India |pages=105–108 |jstor=26494039 |jstor-access=free |issn=0970-0927}}</ref>

He considered [[Oscar Lewis]] as his ''[[guru]]''.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Indera P. |last=Singh |editor1-first=Thomas A. |editor1-last=Sebeok |editor2-first=Milton |editor2-last=Singer |editor3-first=Richard M. |editor3-last=Dorson |editor4-first=Samuel Preston |editor4-last=Bayard |editor5-first=Evon Z. |editor5-last=Vogt |editor6-first=Alan P. |editor6-last=Merriam |editor7-first=Dell H. |editor7-last=Hymes |editor8-first=Shelby W. |editor8-last=Thompson |editor1-link=Thomas Sebeok |editor2-link=Milton Singer |editor3-link=Richard Dorson |editor4-link=Samuel Preston Bayard |editor5-link=Evon Z. Vogt |editor6-link=Alan P. Merriam |editor7-link=Dell Hymes |display-editors=4 |title=A Sikh Village |date=July–September 1958 |journal=[[Journal of American Folklore]] |volume=71 |issue=281 |page=503 |publisher=[[American Folklore Society]] |doi=10.2307/538573 |jstor=538573 |jstor-access=free}}</ref>

==Academic career and research==
From February to June 1953, Singh worked as a [[research assistant]] for [[Oscar Lewis]] who was doing a [[field study]] in Rampur, a Jat-populated village, at Delhi in India with financial grant from the [[Ford Foundation]]'s behavioral sciences division.<ref>{{cite journal |journal=Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society |volume=100 |issue=3 |title=The Festival Cycle in a North Indian Jāṭ Village |first=Oscar |last=Lewis |date=28 June 1956 |pages=168–196 |publisher=[[American Philosophical Society]] |jstor=3143771 |jstor-access=free}}</ref> He served the Department of Anthropology of the University of Delhi as a lecturer from 1953 to 1961, as a reader from 1953 to 1967, and as a professor from 1961 to 1971. He had been the head of the department from 16 June 1968 to 6 June 1979, and from 4 April 1981 to 3 April 1984. He was dean of the university's Faculty of Science from 1971 to 1975, and from 1983 to 1984, and university's [[proctor]] from 1973 to 1992. He was a member of the university's [[University court|court]] from 1959 to 1993, of the executive council from 1973 to 1992, and of the academic council for over twenty years.<ref name="IA"/> He was also a member of [[University Grants Commission (India)|India's University Grants Commission]].<ref name="UoM">{{cite web |title=Anthropological Generations: A Post-Independence Ethnography of Academic Anthropology and Sociology in India |first=Nurolhoda | last=Bandeh-Ahmadi |website=[[University of Michigan]] |place=Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA |page=63 |access-date=21 July 2020 |url=https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/145949/hba_1.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y}}</ref>

He had been Indian Social Science Academy's fellow, and had served as a member of the Asian Association of Bioethics (Tokyo), International Commission of Urban Anthropology, International Commission on Documentation, [[American Anthropological Association]], [[Indian Academy of Sciences]], and International Council for Scientific Development; and as the president of the [[Indian Anthropological Society|Indian Anthropological Association]], Indian Society for [[Human Ecology]], and Indian [[Dermatoglyphics|Dermatoglyphic]] Association; and as the regional commissioner for the South Asia Regional Group of the International Commission on the Anthropology of Food and Food Problems, and as the associate secretary general of [[International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences]]; and as the secretary general of the Tenth International Congress of Anthropological Sciences and the [[Indian Science Congress Association]] (1975).<ref name="IA"/>

Vinay Kumar Srivastava states that Singh delved into anthropology's various branches and suggests that he was "one of the few anthropologists who tried to integrate the different branches of anthropology". Singh carried out a large amount of fieldwork in northern India and the northwestern Himalayas.<ref name="IA"/> He was one of the scholars who were of the view that the "castes among both the Sikhs and the Hindus can be put on the same hierarchical scale" and who executed field research in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]'s villages for "investigating castes among the [[Sikhs]]".<ref>{{cite journal |journal=Sociological Bulletin |volume=51 |number=2 |date=September 2002 |pages=175–194 |publisher=[[Indian Sociological Society]] |editor-first=N. |editor-last=Jayaram |title=Religion, Caste, and Communalism in Punjab |first=Paramjit S. |last=Judge |doi=10.1177/0038022920020202 |jstor=23619969|s2cid=147989946 }}</ref>{{rp|181–182}}

==Written work==
[[Milton Singer]] stated that Singh, along with [[Kathleen Gough]] and [[Surajit Chandra Sinha|Surajit Sinha]], was an academic who dealt with "cultural processes which are either recurrent or at least have strong parallels beyond the horizons of a particular time and space". According to Singer, Singh's analytical study of a Sikh village and of the changing traditions of Sikhs with regard to the dominant traditions of Hindus illustrated "a process of differentiation that is fairly characteristic in Indian civilization—the rise of dissenting sects". Singh's analysis showed that there is heterogeneity between the lower and upper castes.<ref>{{cite journal |journal=[[Journal of American Folklore]] |volume=71 |number=281, ''Traditional India: Structure and Change'' |date=July–September 1958 |pages=191–204 |publisher=[[American Folklore Society]] |editor1-first=Thomas A. |editor1-last=Sebeok |editor2-first=Richard M. |editor2-last=Dorson |editor3-first=Samuel P. |editor3-last=Bayard |editor4-first=Alan P. |editor4-last=Merriam |editor5-first=Dell H. |editor5-last=Hymes |editor1-link=Thomas Albert Sebeok |editor2-link=Richard Mercer Dorson |editor3-link=Samuel Preston Bayard |editor4-link=Alan Parkhurst Merriam |editor5-link=Dell Hathaway Hymes |display-editors=4 |title=From the Guest Editor |first=Milton |last=Singer |jstor=538554 |jstor-access=free}}</ref>{{rp|99}}

Singh's and Mohinder Kumar Bhasin's coauthored book ''Anthropometry (1968)'' was assessed by [[Edward Eyre Hunt Jr.]] He viewed the approach of the authors as being similar to anthropometry's German subculture in spite of the book's origination at the University of Delhi, noting that P. C. Biswas (the founder of University of Delhi's Department of Anthropology) had received training from [[Eugen Fischer]] in Berlin. He suggested that "by and large" their work was "good" but expressed concerns over its "relevance to present-day research and training" in biological anthropology.<ref name="EEHJr">{{cite journal |first=Edward E. |last=Hunt (Jr.) |editor1-first=Ward H. |editor1-last=Goodenough |editor2-first=Ronald |editor2-last=Hicks |editor3-first=Raymond D. |editor3-last=Fogelson |editor4-first=Gordon D. |editor4-last=Gibson |editor5-first=Robert |editor5-last=Ascher |editor6-first=William H. |editor6-last=Davenport |editor7-first=Harold E. |editor7-last=Driver |editor8-first=Robert H. |editor8-last=Dyson (Jr.) |editor9-first=Dell H. |editor9-last=Hymes |editor10-first=Francis E. |editor10-last=Johnston |editor11-first=Igor |editor11-last=Kopytoff |editor12-first=Ruben E. |editor12-last=Reina |editor13-first=Robert J. |editor13-last=Smith |editor14-first=Anthony F. C. |editor14-last=Wallace |editor15-first=K.-Peter |editor15-last=Lade |editor1-link=Ward Hunt Goodenough |editor3-link=Raymond D. Fogelson |display-editors=4 |journal=American Anthropologist |volume=72 |issue=3 |publisher=American Anthropological Association |date=June 1970 |page=714 |title=Reviewed Works: Practical Anthropology by Georges Olivier, M. A. MacConaill; Anthropometry by Indera P. Singh, M. K. Bhasin |jstor=673082 |jstor-access=free}}</ref>

[[University of Oxford]]'s Philip Stewart in 1991, while reviewing Singh's contributions to the first issue of commencing volume of the ''Journal of Human Ecology'', noted that while at that time there was lack of "synthesis" between the two greatly varying approaches towards the study of human ecology – "biological adaptations" and "cultural adaptations" – Singh had worked on both of them. Stewart also pointed out some areas of studies where Singh could have done better.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Philip |last=Stewart |editor1-first=Michael H. |editor1-last=Crawford |editor2-first=Tibor |editor2-last=Koertvelyessy |editor3-first=Philippe |editor3-last=Lefevre-Witier |editor4-first=Robert A. |editor4-last=Halberstein |editor5-first=R. John |editor5-last=Mitchell |editor6-first=Gabriel W. |editor6-last=Lasker |editor7-first=Mimi S. |editor7-last=Braverman |display-editors=4 |journal=Human Biology |volume=63 |issue=4 |date=August 1991 |pages=564–565 |publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] |place=Detroit, Michigan, US |title=Reviewed Work: Journal of Human Ecology, vol. 1, no. 1 by Indera P. Singh |jstor=41464205 |jstor-access=free |issn=0018-7143}}</ref>

Eight of Singh's research projects were awarded by various organizations from India and other countries.<ref name="IA"/>

==Death==
Singh died at the age of 88 years on 27 September 2016.<ref name="ISSN"/>

==Works==
Srivastava notes that Singh wrote 5 books and 202 articles.<ref name="IA"/>

===Books coauthored===
*{{cite book |title=A Manual of Biological Anthropology |first1=Indera Paul |last1=Singh |first2=Mohinder Kumar |last2=Bhasin |year=2004 |publisher=Kamla-Raj Enterprises |place=Delhi, India |isbn=978-8185264349 |oclc=70886634}}
*{{cite book |title=Anthropometry |first1=Indera Paul |last1=Singh |first2=Mohinder Kumar |last2=Bhasin |year=1968 |publisher=Bharti Bhawan |place=Delhi, India |lccn=70909152 |oclc=1965040}}

===Books edited===
*{{cite book |title=Man and His Environment |editor1-first=Indera Paul |editor1-last=Singh |editor2-first=Surendra Chandra |editor2-last=Tiwari |editor3-first=Lalita Prasad |editor3-last=Vidyarthi |editor3-link=L. P. Vidyarthi |first=Don Ramsay |last=Arthur |year=1980 |publisher=Concept |place=Delhi, India |lccn=80903701}}

===Selected papers===
*{{cite journal |journal=[[American Journal of Physical Anthropology]] |volume=48 |issue=2 |date=February 1978 |pages=171–175 |publisher=[[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]] |title=Growth Trends Among Male Bods of Ladakh — a High Altitude Population |first1=Indera P. |last1=Singh |first2=S. L. |last2=Malik |doi=10.1002/ajpa.1330480208 |pmid=637119}}
*{{cite journal |journal=[[Anthropologischer Anzeiger]] |volume=44 |issue=1 |date=March 1986 |pages=45–53 |publisher=[[E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung]] |title=Genetic Studies of Pangwalas, Transhumant and Settled Gaddis: 4. Colour Blindness, Mid-phalangeal Hair, Ear Lobe Attachment and Behavioural Traits |first1=Indera P. |last1=Singh |first2=M. K. |last2=Bhasin |first3=H. |last3=Walter |first4=V. |last4=Bhasin |first5=S. M. S. |last5=Chahal |first6=Ratanjit |last6=Singh |author3-link=Hubert Walter (anthropologist) |display-authors=4 |jstor=29539665 |jstor-access=free |pmid=3485955}}
*{{cite journal |journal=Anthropologischer Anzeiger |volume=45 |issue=4 |date=December 1987 |pages=351–360 |publisher=E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung |title=Biology of the People of Sikkim, India. 2. Colour Blindness, Ear Lobe Attachment, Mid-phalangeal Hair and Behavioural Traits |first1=Indera P. |last1=Singh |first2=M. K. |last2=Bhasin |first3=Anu P. |last3=Shil |first4=Madhu B. |last4=Sharma |first5=H. |last5=Walter |first6=Heidi |last6=Danker-Hopfe |first7=V. |last7=Bhasin |first8=Veena |last8=Bhardwaj |first9=K. |last9=Sudhakar |first10=Devala |last10=Wadhavan |doi=10.1127/anthranz/45/1987/351 |display-authors=4 |jstor=29539829 |jstor-access=free |pmid=3501697}}
*{{cite journal |journal=[[Human Heredity]] |volume=31 |issue=3 |year=1981 |pages=152–155 |publisher=[[Karger Publishers|Karger]] |place=Basel, Switzerland |title=Transferrin Subtypes in Six Indian Population Samples |first1=Indera P. |last1=Singh |first2=H. |last2=Walter |first3=H. |last3=Strodtmann |first4=M. |last4=Hilling |first5=M. K. |last5=Bhasin |first6=P. |last6=Veerraju |doi=10.1159/000153197 |pmid=7262888}}
*{{cite journal |journal=[[Human Biology (journal)|Human Biology]] |volume=57 |issue=2 |date=May 1985 |pages=141–150 |publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] |place=Detroit, USA |title=Parent–Offspring Correlation for Body Measurements and Subcutaneous Fat Distribution |first1=Indera P. |last1=Singh |first2=Satwanti |last2=Kapoor |first3=A. K. |last3=Kapoor |first4=R. |last4=Bhalla |jstor=41464745 |jstor-access=free |pmid=3997123}}
*{{cite journal |journal=American Journal of Physical Anthropology |volume=61 |issue=4 |date=August 1983 |pages=423–428 |title=Transferrin Subtypes in Four Northwest Indian Tribal Populations and Some Remarks on the Anthropological Value of this New Polymorphism |first1=Indera P. |last1=Singh |first2=H. |last2=Walter |first3=Martina |last3=Stach |first4=M. K. |last4=Bhasin |doi=10.1002/ajpa.1330610404 |pmid=6624886}}

==See also==
*[[Aparna Rao]]
*[[Georg Pfeffer]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |title=Anthropology of Development: Commemoration Volume in the Honour of Professor I.P. Singh |edition=1st |editor-first=Rikshesh |editor-last=Malhotra |first1=Y. R. |last1=Ahuja |first2=A. |last2=Almedom |first3=M. S. |last3=Bedi |first4=Bhupinder |last4=Singh |first5=G. |last5=Brush |first6=E. J. |last6=Clegg |first7=Heidi |last7=Danker-Hopfe |first8=B. M. |last8=Das |first9=J. J. |last9=Fernandez |first10=G. A. |last10=Harrison |first11=T. |last11=Jewall |first12=V. |last12=Kaul |first13=Elżbieta |last13=Kowalczyk |first14=Sitakant |last14=Mahapatra |first15=Rikshesh |last15=Malhotra |first16=R. S. |last16=Mann |first17=J. M. |last17=Naidu |first18=M. Rama |last18=Devi |first19=D. F. |last19=Roberts |first20=Sachi |last20=Devi |year=1992 |publisher=Mittal Publications |place=New Delhi |isbn=81-7099-328-8 |lccn=92910453 |oclc=925755297}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Indera Paul}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:Delhi University alumni]]
[[Category:Academic staff of Delhi University]]
[[Category:Physical anthropologists]]
[[Category:Indian anthropologists]]
[[Category:Anthropology educators]]
[[Category:20th-century anthropologists]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]

Indera Paul Singh - Revision history

AyushAmar at 22:54, 7 February 2026