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People group profile · PG049192

The Maniyattikkaran of India

The Maniyattikkaran of India, numbering about 5,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a community of Tamil Nadu whose name means overseer, once serving in the palaces of local zamindars and maharajas. Agriculture and agricultural labor remain their main occupations.

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

Pray for the ManiyattikkaranPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
5,500
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
Tamil
Primary language
Telugu (tel)
Primary religion
Hinduism
Strategic Progress Index ?
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, Concentrated CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Expanding Unreached People Group
Region
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Andhra Pradesh: Chittoor and Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore districts, east Puducherry enclaves; Karnataka: Chamarajana district; Kerala: south; assorted border areas; Tamil Nadu state

Where they live

Gospel status

The Maniyattikkaran 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 but there has been initial or concentrated church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years Concentrated Church Planting

Next steps for the Maniyattikkaran

  • 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

100% adherents

Primary language

Telugu · Dravidian family

100% speak Telugu

Gospel resources in Telugu

  • Bible available, published 2022
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories available

Films

Bibles

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

Pray for the Maniyattikkaran

  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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