"The very reason our planet can be said to be "alive" at all is because there exists here (and here alone, so far as we know) a profuse variety: of organisms, of divergent streams of human thought and behavior, and of geophysical features that provide a congenial setting for the workings of nature and culture. All three realms of difference have evolved so that they interact with and influence one another. Earth's interwoven variety what we call biocultural diversity - is nothing less than the pre-eminent fact of existence" quoted by David Harmon, Executive Director, The George Wright Society; Co-founder, Terralingua. It is therefore, more important to recognize that Bio-cultural approach is one which views humans as biological, social and cultural beings in relation to the environment and it views human biological variability as a function of responsiveness and adaptation to the environment with a special focus on the role of socio-cultural environments. Its significance consists in conceptual framework and models for understanding the dynamic interactions among human biological/phenotypic, psychological and socio-cultural traits in response to the environment. In this context this edited book speaks about the various issues related to bio-cultural diversity focusing on environment and climatic change, biological anthropology including impact of ageing, health care under diverted ecological settings, ethnic ecology and social policy. Most of the papers are drawn from rich data sources and the literature presented here contributes to the literature on bio-cultural diversity, emerging issues, challenges and opportunities.
Reddy, V. Narayana: - "Vembuluru Narayana Reddy, an admired academician, an ardent researcher, and a gifted administrator, is the Founder Registrar, Vikrama Simhapuri University, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, during 2008 - 2012. His efforts are tall and remarkable as he nurtured the Maiden University with a surging academic lead for its steady growth. As a Professor, Department of Anthropology, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, A.P., since 1992, Prof. Reddy has contributed to both academic and administration unremittingly. He served as Dean, Resource Mobilization, and channelized sizeable funds for Research and Development of the University. He has been drafted with academic planning and administrative assignments by the National and State Higher Education Policy-Making institutes like the UGC, APSCHE, UPSC, and MHRD. He has produced half-a-dozen Ph.Ds and M.Phils in dynamic and diversified fields of Anthropology. His areas of interest include Tribal development, Poverty Mapping, Gerontology, Displacement and Resettlements, Disaster Management, and Micro Level Planning. He has published widely in these fields with an incisive inter-disciplinary approach with an insightful approach of a social scientist. He visited the USA and UK for academic and research purposes. Currently Prof. Reddy is a Chief Editor of Indian Journal of Millennium Development Studies, New Delhi."
