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People group profile · PG009504

The Eastern Punjabis of Myanmar

The Eastern Punjabis of Myanmar, numbering about 78,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic group characterized by their rich cultural heritage, agricultural prowess, and vibrant traditions, originating from the Punjab region of South Asia, currently divided between Pakistan and India.

They are a diaspora people in the Punjabi people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Hinduism, and they primarily speak Panjabi.

Pray for the Eastern PunjabisPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Eastern Punjabis people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Punjabi, Eastern

Fast facts

Country
Myanmar
Population
78,000
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Punjabi
Primary language
Panjabi (pan)
Primary religion
Folk Hinduism
Strategic Progress Index
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Eastern Punjabis are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Eastern Punjabis

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Folk Hinduism · Hinduism

74% adherents

Primary language

Panjabi · Indo-European family

100% speak Panjabi

Gospel resources in Panjabi

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Eastern Punjabis

  1. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  2. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  3. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  4. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.

Download a prayer guide

Punjabi, Eastern in other countries

The same people (ROP3 108182) is reported in 17 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
Eastern PunjabisUnited Kingdom815,000Engaged yet Unreached
PunjabisUnited States606,000Engaged yet Unreached
PunjabisUnited Arab Emirates333,000Engaged yet Unreached
PunjabisMalaysia172,000Engaged yet Unreached
PunjabisOman134,000Engaged yet Unreached
PunjabisTanzania71,000Engaged yet Unreached
SikhsKenya42,500Engaged yet Unreached
PunjabisKuwait21,000Engaged yet Unreached
PunjabisNepal16,500Engaged yet Unreached
SikhsFrance16,000Engaged yet Unreached
PunjabisSingapore15,000No Longer Unreached
PunjabisSri Lanka13,000Engaged yet Unreached
SikhsThailand11,500Engaged yet Unreached
PunjabisDenmark10,000Unengaged and Unreached
PunjabisFiji9,600Unengaged and Unreached
PunjabisAfghanistan8,900Unengaged and Unreached
Punjabi SikhsBangladesh80Unengaged and Unreached

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