Adrian Mayer, a pioneering anthropologist and former professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, has died at the age of 101. His work focused on the study of Indian society and politics, particularly in the state of Madhya Pradesh, where he conducted extensive fieldwork among the Gond tribal community.
Mayer was born in 1922 in London and studied at the University of Cambridge before serving in the British Army during World War II. After the war, he returned to academia and completed a PhD at the University of London. He joined SOAS in 1954 and remained there until his retirement in 1987, serving as head of the Department of Anthropology and Sociology.
His most influential work, 'Caste and Kinship in Central India' (1960), is considered a classic in the field. Mayer also wrote extensively on Indian politics, including a study of the 1967 general election in Madhya Pradesh. He was known for his meticulous ethnographic methods and his ability to build trust with the communities he studied.
Beyond his academic contributions, Mayer was a dedicated teacher who mentored generations of anthropologists. He is survived by his wife and two children.
