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We examine the demographic history of India on the basis of a new investigation of mitochondrial DNA base sequences of 101 Indians, in light of the recent synthesis of global genetic history of humans by Cavalli-Sforza and co-workers. To this population genetic evidence we add fresh insights into linguistic and anthropological patterns based on the People of India Project of the Anthropological Survey of India, and a review of the pertinent archaeological evidence on waves of diffusion of technological innovations over the subcontinent. The Indian subcontinent has been populated by a series of migrations propelled by significant technological innovations outside India since the first major expansion of non-African Homo sapiens, probably around 65,000 years before present (BP). The likely major migrations include (i) Austric language speakers soon after 65,000 years BP, probably from the northeast;(ii) Dravidian speakers around 6,000 years BP from the mideast with knowledge of cultivation of crops like wheat, and domestication of animals like cattle, sheep and goats;(iii) Indo-European speakers in several waves after 4000 years BP with control over horses and knowledge of iron technology; and (iv) Sino-Tibetan speakers in several waves after 6000 years BP with knowledge of rice cultivation. A notable feature of Indian society is the persistence of thousands of tribe-like endogamous groups in a complex agrarian and now industrial society. In this society, populations of dominant groups have continued to grow, while those of subjugated groups may have stagnated most of the time.