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People group profile · PG048009

The Bania (Bundeli) of India

The Bania (Bundeli) of India, numbering about 26,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a cluster of merchant and trading communities traditionally associated with commerce, finance, and accounting.

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

Pray for the Bania (Bundeli)Print profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
26,500
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
Bania
Primary language
Bundeli (bns)
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
Madhya Pradesh: Chhatarpur, Chhindwara, Datia, Narsinghpur, Panna, Sagar, Satna, Seoni, Shivpuri and Tikamgarh districts; Maharashtra: Bhandara and Nagpur districts; Rajasthan state; Uttar Pradesh: Banda, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Jhansi, and L

Where they live

Gospel status

The Bania (Bundeli) 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 Bania (Bundeli)

  • 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

Hinduism

100% adherents

Primary language

Bundeli · Indo-European family

100% speak Bundeli

Gospel resources in Bundeli

  • Bible available, published 2010
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Bania (Bundeli)

  1. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  2. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  3. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  4. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.

Download a prayer guide

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