Shillong, Aug 31: For the first time, researchers have mapped the facial and nasal features of Meghalaya’s three major communities—Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia—providing data that could support forensic work, medical surgery, and even mask design.
The study, carried out between 2022 and 2023, examined 104 adults from the three ethnic groups. The researchers measured key facial dimensions such as face length, face width, nasal length, nasal width, philtrum distance, and commissural distance. From these, they calculated the facial index (FI) and nasal index (NI), which classify face and nose shapes.
The importance of studying facial and nasal features (nasofacial anthropometry) lies in both practical applications and scientific understanding.
The study was published in the Journal of the Anatomical Society of India (JASI), Volume 74, Issue 2 (April–June 2025),
Of the participants, 49 percent were Khasi, 26 percent Garo, and 25 percent Jaintia. The average age was 29.5 years.
The findings showed that most people from Meghalaya have a long face type, known scientifically as hyperleptoprosopic. More than half of the participants (52 percent) belonged to this category, followed by mesoprosopic or medium face type (20 percent). Among the communities, Garo and Jaintia showed a clear tendency toward the long face type, while Khasi participants more often had medium or broad faces.
Nose types also showed variation. Nearly half (46 percent) had a narrow nose, called leptorrhine, while another 44 percent had a medium nose, termed mesorrhine. The Khasi and Garo groups mostly showed the mesorrhine type, while the Jaintia community leaned toward the leptorrhine type.
The study also recorded statistically significant differences between the groups. For example, differences in face length, nasal width, and philtrum distance were observed between Khasi and Jaintia, and between Khasi and Garo. Such findings suggest that even within Meghalaya, distinct patterns exist among communities.
According to the authors, this research fills a long-standing gap. While facial and cranial measurements have been studied in other parts of India and Asia, no such study had been done among the adult population of Meghalaya.
The researchers argue that population-specific data are important for forensic identification and reconstructive surgeries, as using generalized standards may erase ethnic characteristics.
They note that understanding facial variations is also useful for practical purposes such as designing protective masks and respirators that fit local populations. In medicine, it could help surgeons performing corrective procedures, ensuring that outcomes align with the patient’s ethnic identity.
The study concludes that more extensive research with larger sample sizes is needed. Long-term studies could also track how these facial features change across generations.
