Abstract

Tribal communities constitute some of the most culturally rich yet socio-economically marginalized populations across the world particularly in developing countries where historical exclusion geographic isolation and structural inequalities have shaped their development trajectories. Despite possessing deep ecological knowledge strong community bonds and distinct socio-cultural identities tribal populations continue to face persistent challenges related to poverty illiteracy health deprivation land alienation political marginalization and limited access to modern development opportunities. This research paper examines the complex relationship between tribal communities and development challenges focusing on how development policies state interventions market forces and globalization have influenced tribal livelihoods social structures and cultural sustainability. The study emphasizes that mainstream development models often designed with a one-size-fits-all approach frequently fail to