Do you know the origin of the word pariah? The Adi Dravida of southern India were once called the Paraiyar (or Pariah in English), so their leaders requested that their name become Adi Dravida or "original Dravidians." Today, the Adi Dravida are a scheduled caste, which means they receive special benefits for government jobs and places in education to rectify past societal wrongs. In the past, many of the Adi Dravida were agricultural workers tied to the land. Today, most still work on farms, either as farmhands or as small landowners. Others dig graves and take care of funerals.

Ministry Obstacles: Illiteracy is high among the Adi Dravida, which limits their access to printed gospel materials.

Scripture Focus: "And he brought him outside and said, Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them. Then he said to him, So shall your offspring be. And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness."
- Genesis 15:5-6

Prayer Focus: Pray that members of today’s people group will understand that they can become part of God’s holy family and experience His goodness. Pray that the Lord would lead Indian Christians to become friends with the Adi Dravida to help them with their educational and vocational needs. Pray that the small number of Adi Dravida Christ followers would be discipled and share the gospel with their brothers and sisters. Pray for spiritual hunger that will lead them to the risen Christ. Pray that both Christian nurture and gospel outreach be available via radio, television, and the internet in their language.