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People group profile · PG049172

The Velip of India

The Velip of India, numbering about 450 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a small community of Canacona, Quepem, Sanguem, and Ponda talukas, Goa, who preside as priests at the Mallikarjun temple of Shristhal for three months each year. Agriculture remains their major traditional occupation.

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

Pray for the VelipPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
450
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
Marathi-Konkani
Primary language
Konkani (individual language) (knn)
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 ?
Marginally Reached People Group
Region
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Gujarat: Valsad district; Dadra and Nagar Haveli; Maharashtra: Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudung, and Thane districts; probably in Mumbai

Where they live

Gospel status

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

Next steps for the Velip

  • 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

Konkani (individual language) · Indo-European family

100% speak Konkani (individual language)

Gospel resources in Konkani (individual language)

  • Bible available, published 1997
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

  • JESUS (Mangalorean Konkani)

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

Pray for the Velip

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

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