People group profile · PG049388
The Khatwe of India
The Khatwe of India, numbering about 262,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a community of northern Bihar descended from Magadh migrants who traditionally served as palanquin-bearers. Most are now agricultural laborers, with some vegetarian Vaishnava families.
They are an indigenous people in the Hindi people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Maithili.

Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 262,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Hindi
- Primary language
- Maithili (mai)
- 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
- Location
- Widespread in north India: northern Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand states; Delhi
Where they live
Gospel status
The Khatwe 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 Khatwe
- 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
99% adherents
Primary language
Maithili · Indo-European family
100% speak Maithili
Gospel resources in Maithili
- Bible available, published 2010
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Films
Bibles
- Wycliffe Bible Tranlsators, Inc. · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Khatwe
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
Khatwe in other countries
The same people is also reported in 1 other country.
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