The history goes back to Fr. Wilhelm Schmidt SVD (1868-1954) who fought against the spread of evolutionism into ethnology (or cultural anthropology as it was called later), where in the domain of religion, animism was giving way to polytheism and lastly to monotheism. For Schmidt the major impetus for change, within the limits of human freedom, was usually economic. Changes in the economic system led to other changes, even eventually to a new culture circle. Along with these changes came changes in social organization, leading for example, to the development of matrilineal or patrilineal system with or without polygamy, and in religion, to polytheism, animism and the like. Sometimes some elements from the previous culture circle carried over. He thought this might happen also in religion and the purpose of his last six volumes of the “Ursprung der Gottesidee” was to sort this out. In his definition of culture circle, Schmidt makes no mention of area or region but preoccupies himself with its content.

With this background of anthropological research, the trends of the missionaries of the Society in India, were set to study the culture, language and customs of the various groups and sociological settings in the times they lived, in order to enable missionaries to have an understanding of the people, who, without disturbing their cultural systems, ought to christinize their pagan customs. With the establishing of the Anthropos Institute in India as early as 1950 the institute has steadily provided scientific literature in this field for the Church in India in perspective of evangelical work. The institute was first located at the SVD House in Bandra, in 1954, it was shifted to Catholic Ashram Palda, Indore and in 1956 shifted to the Theological College of the Archdiocese at the foot of Mount Mary’s Shrine in Bandra and later developed in 1976 in its own building and full fledged library.

The Institute has been involved in extensive anthropological research in the areas of Indian culture, religion and philosophy with a special emphasis on Tribals and Dalits. From the very beginning, the Institute has been collaborating with lay people in its research programmes. Over the years, the staff affiliated to the Institute – Fr. (Dr) Stephen Fuchs SVD, Fr.(Dr) Janssen Hermanns SVD, Fr.Leon Jungbult S.V.D Mr.Klos Kemmein, Fr. (Dr.) Clement Godwin S.V.D, Dr.J.V.Ferreira and several other members at the Institute, have carried out extensive research in the areas of Anthropology, Sociology and Indology. The work is being continued by the present faculty members. The past and the present Faculty members of the Institute have published more than sixty books and about six hundred articles.

Dr. S.Fuchs has several monographs on tribals and dalits of Central India. Dr.Koppers has done extensive work on the Bhils, and Dr.Janssen on the Bhillas, Fr.Leon Jungbult is the first one to compile a dictionary on Bhili dialect. Dr.J.V.Ferreira who was the Head of the Department of Sociology, University of Mumbai is known for his study on Totemism in India. Dr.Clement Godwin did his studies on ‘Change and Community. A study of two Christian Village Communities in Suburban Bandra’ Dr.A.Bopegamage, who was professor in Gokhale Institute, Pune. His work on Delhi is well known. Dr.S.M. Michael did field studies on the origin, development and political implications on Ganapathi cult in India, and also has investigated the relationship between Ecology & Culture in Urbanisation His work on “Dalits in Modern simultaneously in India, England and United States. Dr.S.Lourdusamy SVD has studied the Chamar community in Uttar Pradesh. He has also recorded the culture of different tribals in Central India using modern technology of Videos and Tape-recording. Dr.Augustine Kanjamala SVD has done studies in the area of sociology of Religion among the tribals of Orissa. De.Leela D’Souza has also concentrated her attention on the Sociology of Religion, namely “Reversal of the Secularization Process: Emergence of New Religious Movements”. Dr.E.Varghese SVD conducted his studies in the field of Ethno-Botany among the Khariya tribes of Orissa.

The Library of the IIC contains a comprehensive collection of books in the areas of culture, society and religion, with a special reference to India. It also has about 200 Indian and foreign journals. About sixty thousand volumes have been slowly and painstakingly accumulated over the years. Many rare and specialized ancient books that may not be found in other libraries are found here. The library continues to grow with carefully selected books on the above subjects.

In 1997 the Institute was recognized by the University of Mumbai as a postgraduate Research Centre in Anthropology and sociology. It offers courses of M.A. (by research) and Ph.D. in the above disciplines. Research Scholars registered at the Institute are presently involved in research on, among other topics, The Khasi Religion, The Sociology of Adoption. The Reformation and Rehabilitation of Women Prisoners, and the Concept of Modernity in Indian Anthropology.

The Institute of Indian Culture (IIC), reached another milestone in its history on January 29, 2000, when the Academic Block of the Institute was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Pro-vice Chancellor of the University of Mumbai, Dr.Naresh Chandra. His Grace, Archbishop of Mumbai, Archbishop Ivan Dias gave his blessings. Head of the various Departments of University of Mumbai and members of staff, Heads and members of various Christian Institutes and several distinguished guests were present to grace this memorable occasion.