People group profile · PG046067
The Kurmi (Bagheli) of India
The Kurmi (Bagheli) of India, numbering about 150,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a large agrarian community found across northern, eastern, and central India. Traditionally known as skilled cultivators and land-tilling farmers, they have played a major role in India's agricultural economy for centuries.
They are an indigenous people in the Kurmi people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Bagheli.

Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 150,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Kurmi
- Primary language
- Bagheli (bfy)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Chhattisgarh: Bilaspur and Koriya districts; Madhya Pradesh: Anuppur, Chhindwara, Dindori, Jabalpur, Mandla, Panna, Rewa, Satna, Shahdol, Sidhi, and Umaria districts; Uttar Pradesh: Allahabad, Banda, Mirzapur, and Hamirpur districts
Where they live
Gospel status
The Kurmi (Bagheli) are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. 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 Kurmi (Bagheli)
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
100% adherents
Primary language
Bagheli · Indo-European family
100% speak Bagheli
Gospel resources in Bagheli
- Bible available, published 2020
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- Wycliffe India, 2020 · video, audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Kurmi (Bagheli)
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.