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People group profile · PG041483

The Rathawa of India

The Rathawa of India, numbering about 797,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Scheduled Tribe of Chhota Udepur, Gujarat, their name recalling the forested hills they inhabit, having migrated from Madhya Pradesh. Small-scale farming remains primary, and they are known for Pithora paintings.

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

Pray for the RathawaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
797,000
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
South Asian Tribal
Primary language
Rathawi (rtw)
Primary religion
Folk 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 ?
Marginally Reached People Group
Region
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Gujarat: Panchmahals district; Vadodara district, Chhota Udaipur and Kavant sub-districts; Madhya Pradesh: Jhabua district, Alirajpur sub-district

Where they live

Gospel status

The Rathawa 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 Rathawa

  • 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

Folk Hinduism · Hinduism

95% adherents

Primary language

Rathawi · Indo-European family

100% speak Rathawi

Gospel resources in Rathawi

  • Bible available, published 2023
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings not available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

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

Pray for the Rathawa

  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.

Download a prayer guide

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