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

Missionary murdered Print E-mail
June 03, 2010


Logo: Gospel for Asia

Ajit Bansi -- a Gospel for Asia-supported missionary in Assam, India -- was killed by an anti-Christian militant group on May 20 while on his way home from purchasing construction supplies for a new church building. Pastor Ajit and three others were ambushed by the militants and then shot, their bodies left on the roadside. He was murdered just days before the building for his growing congregation of approximately 60 believers was due for completion. "Pastor Ajit was one of hundreds of missionaries risking their lives to share Jesus' love in this area," K.P. Yohannan, Gospel for Asia's President, has stated. "He was doing a great work, and his life brought hope to many people." (Source: Gospel for Asia)

Pray for Pastor Ajit's wife and two small children as they mourn his loss. Pray for guidance for his congregation at this time. Pray for boldness and enduring faith for other Christians serving in Assam.

To learn more about persecution in India, go to the India Country Report.

 
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