Anthropology or the science of humanity is a broad discipline. The word Anthropology is composed of greek words Anthropos meaning man and logia meaning study, thus, in other words it means study of mankind or study of humanity. Anthropology is divided into numerous sub-disciplines like: Physical, social, linguistic, bio-cultural, environmental, ecological, digital, legal, historical, economical, political, forensic and many more. Almost all aspects of humanity are covered under broad discipline of anthropology.

Forensic Anthropology is the application of knowledge of anthropology mainly physical/biological anthropology in legal scenario. A forensic anthropologist usually needs to work in relation with a forensic pathologist, odontologist, forensic scientist, and crime investigators for complete investigation. During investigation of a criminal offence in a medico-legal setting whenever there is a recovery of a decomposed, mutilated, fragmented, or burnt unidentifiable remains the anthropologist needs to be called in to establish race, gender, age, stature of the deceased. In addition, there are issues like cause of death, time since death, manner of death, nature of trauma and preexisting disease which needs to be settled. The issues become more complicated if there is commingling of bones where in addition the question of human or non- human nature of remains as well as number of individuals involved needs to be answered.

For a forensic anthropologist a thorough knowledge of human and animal osteology and odontology is essential. Features and measurements of skull can help in racial determination, Ossification centres and dentition helps in age estimation, morphological features of bones especially pelvis and skull points towards sexual diamorphism while measurements of bones, especially long bones fixes the stature. Anatomical differences in human and animal osteology establish the origin, and a through documentation of number and types of bone with reconstruction answers the number of individuals involved.

In order to opine on cause, time, manner of death and nature of trauma, anthropologist need to work in conjugation with a forensic pathologist, forensic scientist and crime investigators. In addition to above mentioned parameters fixation of identity can be done by techniques like facial reconstruction, superimposition and DNA typing.

Although the branch of forensic anthropology is of great use in crime investigations yet in majority of countries it is mainly an academic branch where qualified persons are involved mostly in teaching and research with very less practical exposure. Barring few countries, these experts are only called upon to offer partial help if the crime investigator thinks fit. In such cases also their findings are interpreted and utilized as per the wish and knowledge of investigating team. I personally feel that this attitude should change and legal authorities should employ the services of forensic anthropologists on a regular and permanent basis for speedy and genuine delivery of justice.