People group profile · PG041476
The Gauda of India
The Gauda of India, numbering about 2,205,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Odisha community tracing its origin to the Jadava lineage of ancient Magadha, from where they migrated, traditionally landowning cultivators with cow-herding and water-supply as secondary occupations.
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 Odia.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 2,205,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- South Asian Tribal
- Primary language
- Odia (ory)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, Dispersed CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Odisha: Balangir district
Where they live
Gospel status
The Gauda 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 dispersed church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years Dispersed Church Planting
Next steps for the Gauda
- 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 Odia
- Bible available, published 2021
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Films
Bibles
- 1997 Bible League International · audio, text
- Easy to Read Version · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Gauda
- 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.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
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