A study on tribal women empowerment through self-help groups with special reference to Nilgiri District

Tribal peoples form a major segment of the world population. They are found all over the world. They are called by different names such as primitive, 'tribal,' 'indigenous,' 'aboriginal,' 'native,' and so on. India has a large number of tribal people. According to R. C, Verma they "constitute about 8.08% of the total population. They would be about 6.78 crores out of the total population of 83.86 crores according to [the] 1991 census" (I). The major tribes in India are the Gonds, the Bhils, the Sanlals, the Oraons and the Minas. They live in different regions in the forest as well as in urban areas, and mostly speak their own languages. The states of Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh. West Bengal and the North eastern Region have a larger concentration of tribal population. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are also inhabited by several tribes such as the Great Andamanese, Sentenelese, Onges, Jarwas, Sompens, and so on.