According to D.P. Mukerji, a living tradition is one that maintains links with the past by retaining something from it, while simultaneously incorporating new elements. It includes both old and new components, maintaining continuity with the past but also adapting to the present and evolving over time.

The root meaning of tradition is 'to transmit,' with Sanskrit equivalents being parampara (succession) or aitihya (related to history). Traditions are strongly rooted in the past, kept alive through repeated recalling and retelling of stories and myths. However, this link with the past does not rule out change; rather, it indicates a process of adaptation to it.

D.P. Mukerji insisted that Indian sociologists be rooted in this tradition because he believed the crucial distinctive feature of India was its social system. He argued that India had society 'and very little else' — her history, economics, and philosophy had always centered in social groups and socialized persons.

Therefore, it became the first duty of an Indian sociologist to study and know the social traditions of India. D.P. stated that 'it is not enough for the Indian sociologist to be a sociologist. He must be an Indian first,' meaning he must share in the folk-ways, mores, customs, and traditions to understand the social system and what lies beneath and beyond it.

He also believed sociologists should learn both 'high' and 'low' languages and cultures — including Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, and local dialects — to properly understand Indian society.