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People group profile · PG049222

The Semman of India

The Semman of India, numbering about 6,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Scheduled Caste of Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli districts in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, traditionally leather-workers and shoe-makers, an offshoot of the Paraiyan. Tailoring and white-collar work now supplement this traditional trade.

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

Pray for the SemmanPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
6,000
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
Tamil
Primary language
Tamil (tam)
Primary religion
Hinduism
Strategic Progress Index ?
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Frontier 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 Semman are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. 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 Semman

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Hinduism

100% adherents

Primary language

Tamil · Dravidian family

100% speak Tamil

Gospel resources in Tamil

  • Bible available, published 2024
  • 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 Semman

  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.

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