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People group profile · PG049080

The Gandhila of India

The Gandhila of India, numbering about 6,700 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a formerly nomadic Uttar Pradesh and Haryana community whose name derives from the Sanskrit for foul smell, historically subsisting on begging, odd jobs, and keeping donkeys, with broom-making a traditional craft in Haryana.

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

Pray for the GandhilaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
6,700
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
Punjabi
Primary language
Panjabi (pan)
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
Uttar Pradesh: Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, and Saharanpur districts; also Haryana: Ambala and Kurukshetra districts; Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh

Where they live

Gospel status

The Gandhila 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 No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Gandhila

  • 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

Primary religion

Hinduism

100% 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

Bibles

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

Pray for the Gandhila

  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.

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