WORRY LINES IN THE SAND

While efforts are on to make Lakshadweep India's answer to the Maldives, the islanders are anything but thrilled

- NIRMAL JOVIAL

In 2019, a genetic study on the population of the Lakshadweep islands was published in the peer-reviewed Scientific Reports. The findings indicated that the inhabitants of this 36-island archipelago share close genetic ties with people in the Maldives, Sri Lanka and India. Moreover, the researchers discovered a notable ‘founder effect’ in both paternal and maternal lineages of the islanders, which means that the population had limited genetic mixing. This suggested that they are their own people, and have for hundreds of years inhabited the islands and formed a bond with their land.

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Lakshadweep—and the ensuing controversy triggered by derogatory remarks by some Maldivian officials—a widespread campaign urged Indians to ditch the Maldives and head to Lakshadweep.

The initial enthusiasm, however, faded as the people got a reality check; there are few places to stay on the archipelago and the ecosystem is not built for a massive influx of tourists.

The islanders were measured in their response to the massive attention and the big talk of development. In fact, many of them are now gearing up for legal battles to counter any efforts that would ride roughshod over their rights in the name of tourism and development.

An island of woes