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People group profile · PG042134

The Doai of India

The Doai of India, numbering about 22,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Scheduled Caste of West Bengal, also known as Behara for their history as palanquin-bearers, that migrated from Rangpur in present-day Bangladesh after Partition, and now sustains itself through fishing and pig-rearing.

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

Pray for the DoaiPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
22,000
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
Bengali
Primary language
Bengali (ben)
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
West Bengal: Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri districts

Where they live

Gospel status

The Doai 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 Doai

  • 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

Bengali · Indo-European family

100% speak Bengali

Gospel resources in Bengali

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories available

Films

Bibles

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

Pray for the Doai

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

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