Prototype rebuild by the IMB Innovation Team. The official site is peoplegroups.org.

People group profile · PG048872

The Birjia of India

The Birjia of India, numbering about 10,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a small Indigenous tribal people of eastern–central India, known for their deep forest associations, distinct language, and classification as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) by the Government of India.

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

Pray for the BirjiaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
10,500
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
South Asian Tribal
Primary language
Asuri (asr)
Primary religion
Hinduism
Strategic Progress Index ?
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Expanding Unreached People Group
Region
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Widespread in north India: northern Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand states; Delhi

Where they live

Gospel status

The Birjia 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 Birjia

  • 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

99% adherents

Primary language

Asuri · Austroasiatic family

100% speak Asuri

Gospel resources in Asuri

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

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

Pray for the Birjia

  1. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  2. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  3. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  4. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.

Download a prayer guide

Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.