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People group profile · PG041403

The Kokna of India

The Kokna of India, numbering about 1,375,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Scheduled Tribe of Nashik, Thane, and Dhule districts in Maharashtra and Valsad and Dang districts in Gujarat, once inhabitants of the Konkan coast. Settled cultivation and wage labor remain their main occupation.

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

Pray for the KoknaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
1,375,000
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
South Asian Tribal
Primary language
Marathi (mar)
Primary religion
Hinduism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
2% or Greater but Less than 5%
GSEC ?
2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Minimally Reached People Group
Region
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh states; Maharashtra: Belgaum, Bidar, and Karnataka districts

Where they live

Gospel status

The Kokna are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.

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

Next steps for the Kokna

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Hinduism

95% adherents

Primary language

Marathi · Indo-European family

100% speak Marathi

Gospel resources in Marathi

  • Bible available, published 2022
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs 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 Kokna

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

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