Since she was a 12-year-old girl, Madhumala was determined to meet these indigenous people. After she finished school at the top of her class, she started studying anthropology at the University of Calcutta. She later explained to her parents that studying anthropology was her ‘passport to the Ongers’, which is one of the Andamanese tribes.

Madhumala is one of a few people who managed to have friendly contact with the Sentinelese

Her secret? Coconuts. The moment her boat reached the territory of the Sentinelese people, every person on her team started throwing coconuts, to show that they come in peace. It didn’t take long for the tribe to come closer, and even start picking coconuts out of the water. Soon after, Madhumala threw even more coconuts and she was quickly able to get into the water with the tribe. To this day it is considered to be one of a few successful contacts with the tribe. It is believed that the presence of a woman was the key to a successful contact. Madhumala has since visited the tribe again and this time they were even more enthusiastic, they even climbed into the boat to pick the coconuts themselves.