People group profile · PG048038
The Bania (Punjabi) of India
The Bania (Punjabi) of India, numbering about 207,000 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 Panjabi.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 207,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Bania
- Primary language
- Panjabi (pan)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, Dispersed CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- scattered in Punjab and Chandisgarh
Where they live
Gospel status
The Bania (Punjabi) 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 but there has been dispersed church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years Dispersed Church Planting
Next steps for the Bania (Punjabi)
- 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
96% adherents
Primary language
Panjabi · Indo-European family
100% speak Panjabi
Gospel resources in Panjabi
- Bible available, published 2021
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Punjabi)
- Magdalena (Punjabi)
- The Savior (Punjabi)
Bibles
- 2000 Bible League International · text
- Indian Revised Version · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Bania (Punjabi)
- 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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