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People group profile · PG049731

The Ghadwa of India

The Ghadwa of India, numbering about 4,900 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an early settler community of Bastar in Madhya Pradesh present since the thirteenth century, traditionally skilled in casting brass and bell-metal images for sale to neighboring tribal communities.

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 Halbi.

Pray for the GhadwaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
4,900
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
Marathi-Konkani
Primary language
Halbi (hlb)
Primary religion
Hinduism
Strategic Progress Index ?
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Chhattisgarh: Bastar district

Where they live

Gospel status

The Ghadwa 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 Ghadwa

  • 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

Halbi · Indo-European family

100% speak Halbi

Gospel resources in Halbi

  • Bible available, published 2023
  • 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 Ghadwa

  1. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  2. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  3. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  4. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.

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