People group profile · PG048367
The Adi Karnataka of India
The Adi Karnataka of India, numbering about 3,435,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Kannada-speaking Scheduled Caste community whose name denotes the earliest settlers of Karnataka. They are also known as Holeya, are largely Hindu, and traditionally work in agriculture, weaving and rope-making.
They are an indigenous people in the Kanarese people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Kannada.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 3,435,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Kanarese
- Primary language
- Kannada (kan)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5%
- GSEC
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Minimally Reached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Karnataka: Old Mysore region districts, plus Ballari, Dakshina Kannada, and Kodagu districts; also Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris district), Kerala
Where they live
Gospel status
The Adi Karnataka are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years Dispersed Church Planting
Next steps for the Adi Karnataka
- Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
- Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
- Send out laborers from this people to the nations
Gospel resources in Kannada
- Bible available, published 2024
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Films
Bibles
- Easy-to-Read Version · audio, text
- Indian Revised Version · audio, text
- Kannada Contemporary Translation · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Adi Karnataka
- 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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