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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.

Pray for the MalaikudiPrint profile

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

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

  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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