Kashmiri Pandit DNA
Genetic origins and closest populations · India (Kashmir) · South Asia
Kashmiri Pandits are the Hindu Brahmin community of the Kashmir valley, with a long scholarly tradition in Sanskrit and Kashmiri literature. Since the large-scale departure of Pandit families from the valley in 1990, many have lived in Jammu, Delhi and other parts of India. Our model gives the Pandit average 41.1% South Asian hunter-gatherer related ancestry (Irula proxy), Iranian Neolithic farmers at 25.8%, steppe at 25.2%, Anatolian Neolithic farmers at 5.2% and Caucasus hunter-gatherers at 2.7%. The steppe-related share is a little higher than in the Kashmiri Muslim average (22.2%), but the two communities clearly share most of their ancestry: Kashmiri Muslim samples from Srinagar and Pakistan sit at only 0.0197. The closest modern average is Dogra from Kashmir (0.0185), followed by Tarkhan and Ramgarhia Sikh samples and Punjabi Hindus. Saidu Sharif in the Swat valley, a historical-period site, gives the nearest ancient match at 0.0194, nearer than for the Kashmiri Muslim average, with Aligrama and Iron Age Katelai behind.
- Largest ancient components in our model: South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) 41.1%, Iranian Neolithic farmers 25.8%, Steppe herders (Yamnaya) 25.2%
- Closest modern population in our data: Dogra (Kashmir), distance 0.0185
- Closest ancient group in our data: Pakistan HP Saidu Sharif, distance 0.0194
Kashmiri Pandit is one of the 335 modern populations in our population genetics atlas. The numbers on this page describe the average Global25 (G25) genome of the Kashmiri Pandit individuals sampled in India (Kashmir), listed in the G25 sheet as "Kashmiri_Pandit". Like every population average, it smooths over a lot of variation between individuals.
Ancient make-up of the Kashmiri Pandit average
Modelled as a mix of deep ancestral reference populations, the Kashmiri Pandit average comes out as 41.1% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy), 25.8% Iranian Neolithic farmers and 25.2% Steppe herders (Yamnaya). The South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy) component reflects the deep hunter-gatherer ancestry of South Asia (Ancient Ancestral South Indians). The Iranian Neolithic farmers share (25.8%) reflects the early farmers and herders of the Zagros mountains in Iran.
Smaller traces of Caucasus hunter-gatherers (under 5%) also appear. At that level they can reflect real minor ancestry, but also simple model noise, so they should not be over-read. The fit is acceptable (fit distance 0.029): treat the proportions as a good approximation rather than exact values. This population was modelled with a global set of reference populations (ancient genomes, plus modern stand-ins where no suitable ancient genome exists), because West Eurasian sources alone cannot describe it.
Sindhu – South Asian Report
Closest modern populations to Kashmiri Pandit
Genetically, the Kashmiri Pandit average sits nearest to Dogra (Kashmir) at 0.019, Tarkhan (Sikh/Hindu) at 0.019 and Punjabi (Ramgarhia Tarkhan Sikh) at 0.019. On our scale, a distance of 0.019 counts as very close. Even the tenth closest, Kohistani, is only 0.022 away: Kashmiri Pandit belongs to a dense cluster of related populations, so small differences inside that cluster should not be over-interpreted.
| # | Population | Distance | Closeness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dogra (Kashmir) | 0.0185 | Very close |
| 2 | Tarkhan (Sikh/Hindu) | 0.0186 | Very close |
| 3 | Punjabi (Ramgarhia Tarkhan Sikh) | 0.0187 | Very close |
| 4 | Punjabi (Hindu India) | 0.0191 | Very close |
| 5 | Awan | 0.0192 | Very close |
| 6 | Kashmiri Muslim (Srinagar) | 0.0197 | Very close |
| 7 | Kashmiri (Pakistan) | 0.0197 | Very close |
| 8 | Punjabi (Rajput) | 0.0211 | Very close |
| 9 | Punjabi Sikh | 0.0216 | Very close |
| 10 | Kohistani | 0.0218 | Very close |
Distances are Euclidean distances between averaged G25 coordinates. On our scale, below 0.025 is very close, below 0.050 close, below 0.080 moderate, and beyond that distant.
Closest ancient populations to Kashmiri Pandit
Looking back in time, the ancient sample that most resembles the Kashmiri Pandit average is Pakistan HP Saidu Sharif (Historical period), at 0.019. Pakistan HP Aligrama and Pakistan IA Katelai come next. That is a very close match, which suggests strong genetic continuity between those ancient people (or close relatives of theirs) and the modern population. A close ancient match is not proof of direct descent: it means those individuals carried a similar overall mix of ancestry.
| # | Ancient sample or group | Period | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pakistan HP Saidu Sharif | Historical period | 0.0194 |
| 2 | Pakistan HP Aligrama | Historical period | 0.0234 |
| 3 | Pakistan IA Katelai | Iron Age | 0.0284 |
| 4 | Pakistan IA Gogdara | Iron Age | 0.0302 |
| 5 | Pakistan IA Loebanr | Iron Age | 0.0327 |
| 6 | Pakistan High Medieval Barikot | High Medieval, c. 1000-1300 AD | 0.0348 |
| 7 | Pakistan HP Barikot | Historical period | 0.0368 |
| 8 | Pakistan IA Udegram | Iron Age | 0.0375 |
| 9 | Pakistan IA Butkara | Iron Age | 0.0392 |
| 10 | Pakistan Late Medieval Barikot | Late Medieval, c. 1300-1500 AD | 0.0393 |
Ancient DNA from India
Our ancient DNA database holds 59 individuals excavated in present-day India, dated from about 2,350 BC to 1860 AD. The most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups among them are R2a (4), H1a (3) and J2b (3), and the most frequent mtDNA haplogroups are M3 (6), H1 (4) and U2 (4). These are people who lived on the same land in the past, not necessarily ancestors of today's Kashmiri Pandit population.
Most frequent Y-DNA haplogroups
Ancient DNA studies on India
- Blending borders: reconstructing the genetic history of the Sindhi population (2026)
- Blending borders: reconstructing the genetic history of the Sindhi population (2026)
- The Old Lady spider cave skeletons in Ladakh have diverse maternal genetic origin (2026)
- Layers in the sand: The genetic imprint of migration, culture, and Indus craft in the Thar desert (2026)
- Admixture and Genetic Connectivity: Autosomal Insights Into Indo-Aryan Speakers at the Eastern Edge of the Indian Subcontinent (2026)
- Novel 4400-year-old ancestral component in a tribe speaking a Dravidian language (2025)
- Ancient mitogenomes from Neolithic, megalithic and medieval burials suggest complex genetic history of Kashmir valley, India (2025)
- 50,000 years of evolutionary history of India: Impact on health and disease variation (2025)
Browse them in our ancient DNA database: 59 from India.
Compare yourself with Kashmiri Pandit
Paste your G25 coordinates (scaled, one line, with or without a name in front) and we compute your genetic distance to the Kashmiri Pandit average and to its closest neighbours, right in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
| # | Population | Your distance | Closeness |
|---|
This list only covers Kashmiri Pandit and its neighbours. To find out which of our reports actually fits your DNA, run the free Report Finder: it runs the same fit test that every report uses before an order.
No G25 coordinates yet? Get a free simulated G25 from your raw DNA file, or order G25 coordinates.
About these numbers
Keep in mind that a population average is a statistical summary of a limited number of sampled individuals. Real people inside any group vary, some carry more of one ancestry and some less, and no genetic profile decides who is or is not Kashmiri Pandit. Use these numbers as a map of deep ancestry, not as a label.
Method: averaged G25 coordinates, Euclidean distances to other modern and ancient averages, and a non-negative least-squares model against deep ancestral reference populations (data generated 2026-10-01). Read the full method.
Go deeper than the average
This page describes the Kashmiri Pandit average. Your own DNA has its own story: Sindhu – South Asian Report (15€) models your genome against the ancient sources and modern communities of the region, era by era, in a personal PDF report.
A report built for people of South Asian ancestry: ancient regional core (Indus Valley Civilization, BMAC, Steppe migration, Himalayan Iron Age & Classical layers) versus non-regional outside admixture, across 13 communities (Punjabi...
More populations from South Asia
Frequently asked questions
What is the ancient genetic make-up of Kashmiri Pandit?
Modelled with deep ancestral reference populations, the Kashmiri Pandit average is about 41.1% South Asian hunter-gatherer related (Irula proxy), 25.8% Iranian Neolithic farmers and 25.2% Steppe herders (Yamnaya). These proportions are model estimates for a group average, not exact values for any one person.
Which populations are genetically closest to Kashmiri Pandit?
In the G25 data, the closest modern populations to the Kashmiri Pandit average are Dogra (Kashmir), Tarkhan (Sikh/Hindu) and Punjabi (Ramgarhia Tarkhan Sikh). The closest ancient matches are Pakistan HP Saidu Sharif, Pakistan HP Aligrama and Pakistan IA Katelai.
Can a DNA test tell me if I am Kashmiri Pandit?
No DNA test can confirm an ethnicity or a nationality. What DNA can show is how similar your genome is to the sampled Kashmiri Pandit average and to its neighbours. If you have G25 coordinates, paste them in the comparison box on this page to check that for free.
Which ExploreYourDNA report suits Kashmiri Pandit ancestry?
For the Kashmiri Pandit average, the regional report to choose is Sindhu – South Asian Report, which our fit test rates as an excellent match. Your own DNA may differ from the average, so the free Report Finder checks every report against your file before you buy.
Where does the data on this page come from?
From the averaged Global25 (G25) coordinates of the sampled individuals: genetic distances to other modern and ancient population averages, and a non-negative least-squares model against deep ancestral reference populations. The full method is described at https://www.exploreyourdna.com/populations#method.