GENOME INDIA PROJECT (GIP)

NEWS: Genome India Project (GIP) data reveals 44 million unique Indian genetic variants

Key Findings of Study

• Genetic Variantsà Over 129 million genetic variants were identified.
• Endogamyà has resulted in genetically distinct and isolated groups.
• Contrasting Population Dynamicsà Non-tribal populations: greater genetic mixing+ population growth.
• Tribal populationsà low effective population size, high genetic drift+ strong founder effects (certain rare global variants become locally common due to prolonged isolation).
• Objectiveà To build a comprehensive catalogue of genetic variations that reflects the unique diversity of the Indian population.

About Genome India Project (GIP)

• Launchedà In 2020 by Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
• Under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
• Indian equivalent of the Human Genome Project (HGP)à a global-level effort to map human genomes, launched in October 1990 and completed in April 2003.
• The study collected samples from 10,000 healthy and unrelated individuals.
  • These individuals represent 83 distinct population groups and span India’s four prominent linguistic families: Indo-European, Dravidian, Austro-Asiatic, and Tibeto-Burman.

Significance

• Disease prediction+ early diagnosis with better disease gene discovery, population-specific diagnostics (e.g. impact of endogamy on diseases), etc.
• As global genetic databases remain dominated by European populations= Reduces Bias
• R&Dà Boosts India’s and global genomic research and innovation ecosystem.