The history of anthropology in India is deeply intertwined with the colonial project. Initially, it emerged not as an autonomous academic discipline but as a tool for colonial administration, serving the interests of the British Empire. This 'colonial anthropology' was characterized by specific objectives and methodologies.

Colonial History of Indian Anthropology:

1. Administrative Utility: British administrators, missionaries, and scholars undertook ethnographic studies to understand the diverse 'native' populations – their customs, social structures, laws, and religions. This knowledge was crucial for effective governance, revenue collection, maintaining law and order, and managing social unrest. Figures like Herbert Risley, Edgar Thurston, and Verrier Elwin conducted extensive surveys and wrote monographs on tribes and castes.
2. Justification of Rule: Colonial anthropology often served to legitimize British rule by portraying Indian societies as 'primitive,' 'backward,' or 'static,' thereby justifying the 'civilizing mission' of the colonizers. It emphasized differences and hierarchies, reinforcing the idea of a fragmented society needing external control.
3. Categorization and Classification: The British were keen on classifying and categorizing Indian society, particularly through census operations, which solidified notions of 'caste' and 'tribe' into rigid, often essentialist, categories. This classification aided in administrative control and sometimes exacerbated social divisions.
4. Orientalism: Early studies were influenced by Orientalism, focusing on ancient texts and 'exotic' customs, often overlooking the dynamism and contemporary realities of Indian life.

This period saw the collection of vast amounts of data, but it was largely an 'anthropology of India' conducted by outsiders, often with an ethnocentric bias and a focus on the 'other' for administrative convenience rather than genuine academic inquiry into human diversity.

Role of Indian Anthropologists in Sustaining Autonomy:

Post-independence, Indian anthropologists played a critical role in decolonizing the discipline and establishing its autonomy, shifting it from a colonial tool to an indigenous academic pursuit:

1. Challenging Colonial Frameworks: Indian scholars critically re-examined and rejected the colonial constructs and evolutionary theories that had depicted Indian societies as static or primitive. They challenged the essentialist categories of 'caste' and 'tribe' and reinterpreted them within a dynamic, indigenous context.
2. Developing Indigenous Perspectives: Pioneers like S.C. Roy, M.N. Srinivas, G.S. Ghurye, D.N. Majumdar, Irawati Karve, and N.K. Bose spearheaded the development of an 'Indian anthropology.' They emphasized an emic (insider's) perspective, focusing on understanding Indian realities from within. Srinivas's concepts of 'Sanskritization' and 'Westernization' provided powerful indigenous analytical tools for understanding social change.
3. Institutional Building: Indian anthropologists were instrumental in establishing anthropology departments in universities (e.g., Calcutta, Lucknow, Delhi) and research institutions, fostering indigenous research, training, and intellectual discourse. This created a space for Indian scholars to define their own research agendas and methodologies.
4. Shifting Research Focus: The focus broadened from merely studying 'tribes' to encompass a wider range of Indian social phenomena, including caste, village studies, urban anthropology, development issues, and social movements. This made the discipline more relevant to national concerns and less confined to colonial interests.
5. Policy Relevance and Advocacy: Indian anthropologists actively engaged with national development issues, contributing to policies on tribal welfare, rural development, and social justice. They advocated for the rights of marginalized communities and ensured that anthropological insights informed nation-building efforts.
6. Ethical Practice: They emphasized ethical research practices, promoting respect for the dignity and rights of the communities studied, moving away from the extractive and often exploitative nature of colonial research.

Through these efforts, Indian anthropologists successfully transformed the discipline from a colonial appendage into an autonomous, vibrant field of study, rooted in Indian realities while engaging with global anthropological discourse. They ensured that the study of Indian society was conducted by Indians, for Indians, and from an Indian perspective, thereby sustaining its intellectual and ethical autonomy.