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People group profile · PG042158

The Goudu of India

The Goudu of India, numbering about 11,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a pastoral–agricultural community of eastern India, especially Odisha. The Goudu are best understood as a regional Odia subgroup of the broader Yadav (Yadava) people.

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

Pray for the GouduPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
11,500
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
South Asian Tribal
Primary language
Odia (ory)
Primary religion
Folk 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 ?
Minimally Reached People Group
Region
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Andhra Pradesh: Vishakhapatnam district; Chhattisgarh: Bastar, Raigarh, and Raipur districts; Jharkhand: Ranchi and Singhbhum districts; West Bengal: Medinipur (Midnapore) district; Assam and Odisha states

Where they live

Gospel status

The Goudu 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 Goudu

  • 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

Folk Hinduism · Hinduism

80% adherents

Primary language

Odia · Indo-European family

100% speak Odia

Gospel resources in Odia

  • Bible available, published 2021
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not 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 Goudu

  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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