People group profile · PG047895
The Lohar (Odia) of India
The Lohar (Odia) of India, numbering about 758,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a traditional artisan community of South Asia, best known historically as iron‑workers and blacksmiths, with a long presence across India, Nepal, and parts of Pakistan.
They are an indigenous people in the Punjabi people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Odia.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 758,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Punjabi
- Primary language
- Odia (ory)
- 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
- 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 Lohar (Odia) 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 Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Lohar (Odia)
- 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
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
- 1997 Bible League International · audio, text
- Easy to Read Version · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Lohar (Odia)
- 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.
- 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.
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