India Profile

Total Area:
3,287,590 sq. km

Population:
1,147,995,898 (July 2008 est.)

Ethnicity:
Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and Other 3% (2000)

Language:
English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language.

Religion:
Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, Other 1.8% (2001)

Government Type:
Federal Republic

Capital:
New Delhi

Population Below Poverty Line:
25% (2007 est.)

Country Reports

Pastor beaten, Christians arrested Print E-mail
February 25, 2009

The Voice of the Martyrs received several reports of attacks on Christians in India in recent weeks.

At approximately 11:30 a.m. on February 22, Hindu villagers disrupted a worship service and beat Pastor K. Krupanamdam in Gabbilalpet, Ranga Reddy district, Andhra Pradesh, according to a February 22 report from All India Christian Council. Two police officers were stationed in the church at the time of the attack because local villagers had recently expressed their desire to seize the property. However, they were not able to get the situation under control until more officers arrived on scene. Pastor Krupanamdam was eventually taken to the police station where he registered a complaint against his attackers.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. on February 24, two Christian women, K.P. Mary (34) and Sangamma (49), were arrested on charges of forcible conversion in the village of Ravaruu, Karnataka. When Hindu militants noticed the women visiting with two new converts to Christianity they lodged a complaint with police.

Pray for Pastor Krupanamdam as he recovers from the attack. Pray for the release of the arrested believers. Pray that those oppressing Christians in India may experience repentance and salvation (Acts 9:1-19).

To learn more about Christians suffering for righteousness' sake in India, go to the India Country Report.

 
© 2010 - The Voice of the Martyrs Inc. (Canada) | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Website designed & hosted by JimBits Solutions