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People group profile · PG041684

The Santia of India

The Santia of India, numbering about 13,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Scheduled Caste of Kota and Jhalawar districts, Rajasthan, who migrated from Raipur district, Madhya Pradesh, comprising both Hindu and Muslim sections. Labor, animal-breeding, and alms-seeking remain common occupations.

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

Pray for the SantiaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
13,500
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
Rajasthani
Primary language
Hadothi (hoj)
Primary religion
Hinduism
Strategic Progress Index ?
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Widespread in north India: northern Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand states; Delhi

Where they live

Gospel status

The Santia are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. 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 Santia

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Hinduism

99% adherents

Primary language

Hadothi · Indo-European family

100% speak Hadothi

Gospel resources in Hadothi

  • Bible available, published 1822
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

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

Pray for the Santia

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

Download a prayer guide

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