People group profile · PG041551
The Kathodi of India
The Kathodi of India, numbering about 363,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Scheduled Tribe of the Sahyadri foothills in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan whose name derives from kat, the acacia extract they once made. Agriculture and forest labor have replaced their traditional craft.
They are an indigenous people in the Marathi-Konkani people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Marathi.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 363,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Marathi-Konkani
- Primary language
- Marathi (mar)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, Concentrated CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh states; Maharashtra: Belgaum, Bidar, and Karnataka districts
Where they live
Gospel status
The Kathodi 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 initial or concentrated church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years Concentrated Church Planting
Next steps for the Kathodi
- 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
100% adherents
Primary language
Marathi · Indo-European family
100% speak Marathi
Gospel resources in Marathi
- Bible available, published 2022
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Films
Bibles
- 1993 Bible League International · audio, text
- Marathi New India Bible Version · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Kathodi
- 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.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
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