The Chero of India

The Chero of India, numbering approximately 177,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a historically prominent cultivating community of east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar whose name derives from chera, meaning snake. The Chero once ruled a kingdom across the Gangetic plain and today practice settled agriculture. They mostly adhere to Folk Hinduism and Sadri is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Chero

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: South Asian Peoples
Country: India
People Cluster: South Asian Tribal
Primary Language(s): Sadri (sck)
Primary Religion(s): Folk Hinduism
Population: 177,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG041724
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Chero of India

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Folk Hinduism
Religious Affiliation: Hinduism

80%
%
Folk Hinduism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Sadri
Language Family: Indo-European

100%
%
Sadri Speakers

Media Resources in Sadri:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Sadri:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
Indian Evangelical Mission✓
Indian Evangelical Mission✓✓✓

2 entries

Or check out the Sadri bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Chero are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Chero:
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

Pray specifically for the Chero of India

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
readProverbs 30:5

Pray that those who don't yet know God will trust the flawless Word of God and seek refuge in Him, finding hope and salvation instead of remaining in spiritual darkness.

If I ascend to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
readPsalm 139:8

Pray that the lost will recognize God's presence with them wherever they go, put their faith in Christ, and seek to live in a way that honors and glorifies Him.

Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
readPsalm 34:5

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will see themselves as God sees them, with radiant faces and hearts that have been cleansed of all shame.

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
readPsalm 23:3

Pray for believers to go and share the gospel with others here. Ask that God will restore their souls and lead them in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Chero Across Countries (ROP3 - 111778) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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