People group profile · PG010714
The Malayali of Singapore
The Malayali of Singapore, numbering about 36,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Dravidian ethnolinguistic group originating from the present-day state of Kerala in India and inhabiting its southwestern Malabar coast.
They are a diaspora people in the Malayali people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Malayalam.

Fast facts
- Country
- Singapore
- Population
- 36,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Malayali
- Primary language
- Malayalam (mal)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Malayali are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. 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 Malayali
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
60% adherents
Primary language
Malayalam · Dravidian family
100% speak Malayalam
Gospel resources in Malayalam
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- Bible League International · audio, text
- Holy Bible, Malayalam Contemporary Version - LUMO Christmas Film · video
- Holy Bible, Malayalam Contemporary Version - LUMO Easter Film · video
- Holy Bible, Malayalam Contemporary Version ™ · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Malayali
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
Malayali in other countries
The same people is also reported in 11 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malayali | United Arab Emirates | 1,550,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | India | 461,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Kuwait | 318,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Oman | 219,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Malaysia | 206,000 | No Longer Unreached |
| Malayali | United States | 166,000 | No Longer Unreached |
| Malayali | Qatar | 113,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Bahrain | 60,500 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Canada | 32,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Myanmar | 31,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Maldives | 950 | No Longer Unreached |
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