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People group profile · PG041325

The Gangakula of India

The Gangakula of India, numbering about 2,950,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a large traditional fishing, boating, and water-related community found primarily in Karnataka, with smaller populations in neighboring South Indian states, belonging to the broader Gangakula/Gangaputra social complex.

They are an indigenous people in the Kanarese people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Kannada.

Pray for the GangakulaPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Gangakula people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Gangakula

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
2,950,000
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
Kanarese
Primary language
Kannada (kan)
Primary religion
Hinduism
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Karnataka: Gangavali, Gokarana, and Mirjan

Where they live

Gospel status

The Gangakula 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 Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Gangakula

  • 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

Hinduism

99% adherents

Primary language

Kannada · Dravidian family

100% speak Kannada

Gospel resources in Kannada

  • Bible available, published 2024
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories available

Films

Bibles

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

Pray for the Gangakula

  1. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  2. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  3. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  4. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.

Download a prayer guide

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