People group profile · PG041525
The Kharwa of India
The Kharwa of India, numbering about 490,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an occupational caste of Hindu seafarers and fishers concentrated in coastal Gujarat and Diu who speak Marwari and Gujarati and trace claimed Rajput ancestry.
They are an indigenous people in the Gujarati people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Marwari (India).
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 490,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Gujarati
- Primary language
- Marwari (India) (rwr)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Gujarat: both shores of Gulf of Khambhat; Maharashtra: Nandubar and Nashil districts; Rajasthan: Jalor and Sirohi districts; Daman and Diu Union Territory
Where they live
Gospel status
The Kharwa 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, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Kharwa
- 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
Primary religion
99% adherents
Primary language
Marwari (India) · Indo-European family
100% speak Marwari (India)
Gospel resources in Marwari (India)
- Bible available, published 2023
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings 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 Kharwa
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
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