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People group profile · PG041504

The Kisan (Kurukh) of India

The Kisan (Kurukh) of India, numbering about 550,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Scheduled Tribe of Odisha, Bihar, and West Bengal whose name means peasant-cultivator in Hindi, also known as Nagesia. Settled cultivation and agricultural labor remain their main 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 Kurukh.

Pray for the Kisan (Kurukh)Print profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
550,000
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
South Asian Tribal
Primary language
Kurukh (kru)
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 ?
Marginally Reached People Group
Region
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Chhattisgarh: Raigarh and Surguja districts; Jharkhand: Lohardaga and Ranchi districts; Odisha: Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts; West Bengal: Jalpaigiri district; Assam, Bihar, and Tripura states

Where they live

Gospel status

The Kisan (Kurukh) 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 Kisan (Kurukh)

  • 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

100% adherents

Primary language

Kurukh · Dravidian family

100% speak Kurukh

Gospel resources in Kurukh

  • Bible available, published 2000
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

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

Pray for the Kisan (Kurukh)

  1. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  2. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  3. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  4. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.

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