Context: Recently, a 19-year-old student cracked the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), who is set to become the first member of the Bonda tribal community.

Bonda Tribe

• Location: The Bondas are exclusively found in Malkangiri district of Odisha and are mostly concentrated in Khairaput block of the district.
• Tribal Status: They are a particularly vulnerable tribal group and one of the oldest tribes of India.

• Also known as: Bondo, Bondas, Bonda Paraja, and Bhonda.
• Linguistic Group: They belong to the Austro-Asiatic racial stock and speak Remo, an Austro-Asiatic dialect.
• Cultural Divisions: The Bondas are divided into two groups due to their distinct cultural practices:

oLower Bondas: Reside in the Malkangiri district in south Odisha, bordering Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

oUpper Bondas: Live in the remote villages of the district’s hilly terrain.

• Their dressing style is quite unique:

oWomen: Semiclads and adorned with various rings and pieces of jewelry; they traditionally avoid covering their upper bodies, using heavy necklaces and a short loincloth called Nadi.

oMen: Wear a narrow strip of loincloth and use distinctive adornments.

• Occupation: They are primarily farmers but also engage in hunting, gathering forest products, and performing labor.