The significance of village studies in the history of Indian sociology is –

• It emphasised the importance of ethnographic research methods.

• More than 65 percent of the population resides in rural area of India.

• Villages are unifying identities having significant importance in rural life.

• The study of villages provides examples of rapid social change in the economical development of the country after independence.

M.N. Srinivas played a very important role in promoting village studies some of them are –

• He produced detailed ethnographic accounts of villages.

• He criticised the arguments presented by the British anthropologists and concluded that the village was as important subject of study as any other social institution.

• He also proved the links of the village community to the economy of the outside world.