People group profile · PG042174
The Malaikudi of India
The Malaikudi of India, numbering about 13,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Scheduled Tribe of the Sahyadri hill ranges in Dakshina Kannada and Chikkamagaluru districts of Karnataka and Kasaragod district in Kerala. Hunting has given way to cultivation, plantation labor, and basket-weaving.
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 Tulu.

Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 13,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- South Asian Tribal
- Primary language
- Tulu (tcy)
- Primary religion
- Folk 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
- Karnataka: Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts; Kerala: Kasargod district; scattered in other states
Where they live
Gospel status
The Malaikudi 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 Malaikudi
- 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
Folk Hinduism · Hinduism
99% adherents
Primary language
Tulu · Dravidian family
100% speak Tulu
Gospel resources in Tulu
- Bible available, published 2010
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Malaikudi
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
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