Velama in India

The Velama have only been reported in India
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Subgroups: 1

Subgroup Name Population
Polineti Velama Unknown

Introduction

Farming has been the primary vocation of this caste living in western India. The Velama are Hindus who belong to the Vaishnava Sect, and their principal deity is Lord Narsimha. They invite Brahmins to assist in their rituals. They traditionally accept water and cooked food from higher Hindu castes but not from members of the Scheduled Castes. They have interesting oral traditions in the form of folk songs, which are sung by both men and women during fairs and festivities and the performing of rituals.


Ministry Obstacles

Hinduism produces a very different understanding of spiritual issues than does the Christian Bible. Radically changing a person's understanding and spiritual belief system is usually a slow and difficult process.


Prayer Focus

Pray that the Velama caste will be set free from the bondage of the caste system and be drawn to the freedom found in knowing Jesus Christ.
Pray for the Velama who have reported themselves as Christians to the Indian census.
Pray they will lead holy lives and will learn to live in the power of God's Spirit, demonstrating love, joy, peace and all the fruit of the Spirit.


Scripture Prayers for the Velama in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Velama
People Name in Country Velama
Pronunciation VEH-lah-mah
Alternate Names Elama; Elma; Koppulavelama; Padma Nayak; Padma Velama; Padmai; Vadugan; Veduvan; Velama Naidu; Velamalu; Velamavaru; Yelama; Yelma; वेलमा
Population this Country 484,000
Population all Countries 484,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 10
PeopleID3 18304
ROP3 Code 113850
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 10
Largest States
Odisha
246,000
Telangana
217,000
Andhra Pradesh
8,800
Karnataka
6,200
Maharashtra
5,000
Tamil Nadu
600
Delhi
300
Chhattisgarh
200
West Bengal
100
Assam
90
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 10
  Odisha 246,000
  Telangana 217,000
  Andhra Pradesh 8,800
  Karnataka 6,200
  Maharashtra 5,000
  Tamil Nadu 600
  Delhi 300
  Chhattisgarh 200
  West Bengal 100
  Assam 90
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.06 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.94 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Telugu (246,000 speakers)
Language Code tel   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 10
Secondary Languages
Odia
163,000
Tamil
2,600
Kannada
2,300
Marathi
2,100
Kui (India)
600
Chhattisgarhi
300
Desiya
200
Kurux
200
Pengo
200
Primary Language Telugu (246,000 speakers)
Language Code tel   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 10
Secondary Languages
  Odia 163,000
  Tamil 2,600
  Kannada 2,300
  Marathi 2,100
  Kui (India) 600
  Chhattisgarhi 300
  Desiya 200
  Kurux 200
  Pengo 200
People Groups Speaking Telugu

Primary Language:  Telugu

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1812-1966)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1818-1989)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1854-2022)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Telugu Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rock International: King of Glory Rock International
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Productions
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links (Neethakani) Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Pastors Telugu Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible app: Study Bibles (Multiple Languages) Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible app: Telugu YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible App: Telugu Bible (తెలుగు బైబిల్) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Telugu Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Telugu Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: Open Bible Stories (Telugu) Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Telugu YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible Radio App: Telugu Bible Radio iOS Revive India
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Telugu Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter The Ancient Path Live Global
Text / Printed Matter tools for gospel conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Copyrighted © 2025  Isudas  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.