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People group profile · PG049134

The Kanu of Nepal

The Kanu of Nepal, numbering about 167,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an indigenous community of Nepal.

They are an indigenous people in the Bihari people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Nepali (individual language).

Pray for the KanuPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Kanu people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2025). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Kanu

Fast facts

Country
Nepal
Population
167,000
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
Bihari
Primary language
Nepali (individual language) (npi)
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

Where they live

Gospel status

The Kanu 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 Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Kanu

  • 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

Nepali (individual language) · Indo-European family

100% speak Nepali (individual language)

Gospel resources in Nepali (individual language)

  • Bible available, published 2012
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not 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 Kanu

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

Download a prayer guide

Kandu in other countries

The same people (ROP3 112418) is reported in 1 other country.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
KanduIndia2,115,000Engaged yet Unreached

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