Synopsis The Anthropological Survey of India launched the People of India project on 2nd October 1985 to generate an anthropological profile of all communities of India, the impact on them of change and the development process, and the links that bring them together. Meghalaya, the beautiful ‘abode of the clouds’, and the various aspects of its culture and society, including the unique institution of matriliny, has long fascinated administrators, travellers, anthropologists and other scholars. Extensive work has also been done on many tribal communities of Meghalaya and facets of its culture. However, it was only under the People of India project that the first comprehensive ethnographic survey of all communities was undertaken in all its aspects, cultural, linguistic and biological. The last aspect was covered through the extension of the All India Anthropometric Survey, the data of which, supplemented by secondary material are still analysed. Out of 25 communities covered by this Survey, 15 are scheduled tribes. These include smaller tribes (14), who are mostly migrants from neighbouring states. There are non-tribal communities who have migrated to Meghalaya to perform a number of roles as traders, businessmen, shopkeepers, labourers etc. Dr K. S. Singh retired as Director General of the Anthropological Survey of India. Dr B. Pakem is Professor, Political Science, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong. Dr A. Basu was Superintending Anthropologist at the North-Eastern Regional Centre of the Anthropological Survey of India in Shillong. Dr Shibani Roy was Anthropologist at the North-Eastern Regional Centre of the Anthropological Survey of India in Shillong.