The Out of India theory (OIT, also called the Indian Urheimat Theory) is the proposition that the Indo-European language family originated in the Indian subcontinent and spread to the remainder of the Indo-European region through a series of migrations. A notable proponent was Friedrich Schlegel (1772–1829).
Originally proposed in the late 18th century in an attempt to explain connections between Sanskrit and European languages, it was rapidly marginalized within academic linguistics, particularly those who tend to favor the Kurgan model instead.
Still, the Out of India theory today builds primarily on the idea that Aryans are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent rather than on the archaeogenetic and other academic developments. The theory's recent revival in Hindu nationalist writing has made it the subject of a contentious debate in Indian politics. These recent "OIT" scenarios posit that the Indus Valley Civilization was Indo-Aryan and uses mainly evidence from Sanskrit literature. The hypotheses have been espoused mainly by Indologist Koenraad Elst and Indian author Shrikant Talageri. These scenarios have also been defended by the archaeologist B.B. Lal.
Read more about Out Of India Theory: Chronology, Linguistics, Philology, Material Archaeology, Genetic Anthropology, Criticism
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