Studies in Indian Place Names UGC Care Listed Journal Copyright ©2020 Authors International Conference on Current Challenges in Social Work Practice, Organized by Department of Social Work, Sree Narayana Guru College, KG. Chavadi, Coimbatore 183 ISSN: 2394-3114 Vol-40-Issue 72 (March 2020) LIFESTYLE AND MENTAL WELLBEING OF NOMADIC TRIBAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN MADURAI DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU Ms. K Sumithra, Research Assistant, Department of Social Work Madurai Institute of Social Sciences, No 9, Algar Koil Road, Madurai Jobi Babu, Assistant Professor, Social Work Department, Madurai Institute of Social Sciences, No 9, Algar Koil Road, Madurai The tribal communities in India consist of 8.24% of the total population of the country. They are considered as the most vulnerable section in the society. The socio- economic and health conditions of the tribal communities in India can be easily distinguished from that of the general population. However there are different programmes and policies for the upliftment of the section, the miserable life conditions of tribes continues. The socio-economic-health and cultural disadvantages of the community adversely affect the progress and development of the tribal communities. The present paper is about the lifestyle and mental wellbeing of the nomadic tribal community members. A nomad is someone who lives by travelling from place to place. The nomadic lifestyle has an impact on their mental wellbeing and development aspiration. The present paper aimed to throw lights on the lifestyle and mental wellbeing of the Kaattunayakan nomadic tribal community members in the Sathyamoorthy Nagar of Madurai district, Tamil Nadu. Key Words: Tribal Community, Nomadic, Kaattunayakan, Lifestyle, Mental Wellbeing Introduction The Tribal community plays a vital role in the cultural diversity and heritage of the nation (Babu, 2018). Indian Tribe “in short, Indian tribes or bands are separate