People group profile · PG041545
The Eastern Tamang of India
The Eastern Tamang of India, numbering about 286,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group indigenous to Nepal, Southern Bhutan, and North India.
They are an indigenous people in the South Himalayan people cluster of the Himalayan Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Sikkimese.

Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 286,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- South Himalayan
- Primary language
- Sikkimese (sip)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, Dispersed CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Eastern Tamang 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 Eastern Tamang
- 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
27% adherents
Primary language
Sikkimese · Sino-Tibetan family
74% speak Sikkimese
Gospel resources in Sikkimese
- Bible not available
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Eastern Tamang
- 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.
- 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.
Tamang, Eastern in other countries
The same people (ROP3 102861) is reported in 2 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Tamang | Nepal | 1,655,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Eastern Tamang | Bhutan | 5,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.