Mysuru, May 19 -- A genetic study has traced the ancestry of the Kodavas, the culturally distinct community from Karnataka's Kodagu district, to nearly 3,000 years ago. Yet, the mystery of their precise origins remains unsolved.

This is the first scientific attempt to explore the genetic makeup of the Kodavas. Conducted by researchers from the University of Delhi South Campus and Hyderabad's Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, the study was published in Communications Biology.

Using genomic data from 144 Kodava individuals, scientists identified three genetically distinct lineages within the community. They named it: Coorg-1, Coorg-2 and Coorg-3.

Coorg-3 emerged as the most ancient lineage, dating back 98 generations, about 3,00...