People group profile · PG041390
The Gowda of India
The Gowda of India, numbering about 1,300,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a community label used in South India—especially Karnataka—for land‑holding agricultural communities, village leaders, and related groups. In Karnataka and parts of Tamil Nadu, 'Gowda' most commonly refers to members of the Vokkaliga community.
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.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 1,300,000
- 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, Concentrated CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Mainly Goa and Karnataka states; Andhra Pradesh: Anantapur; Maharashtra: Latur district; Tamil Nadu and Kerala states; small border areas of last 4 states
Where they live
Gospel status
The Gowda 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 but there has been initial or concentrated church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years Concentrated Church Planting
Next steps for the Gowda
- 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
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
- Easy-to-Read Version · audio, text
- Indian Revised Version · audio, text
- Kannada Contemporary Translation · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Gowda
- 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.
- 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.
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