Odia-speaking South Asian in Myanmar (Burma)

The Odia-speaking South Asian have only been reported in Myanmar (Burma)
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Additional PDF Profile

Identity

Odia is not the name of a specific ethnic group; rather, it is a regional language spoken as the first language by over 160 different people groups in India alone and as a second language by another 480 groups. The Odia in Myanmar are not accepted as an indigenous ethnic group and have struggled for recognition even though many families have known no other home for generations.

Location: The number of Odia-speaking people from the east coast of India who now live in Myanmar is uncertain. Although a Canadian linguist estimated there were 122,000 Odia-speaking people in the country in 2017, another source suggests the number may be as low as 20,000. The 1931 census returned 62,585 Odia people in Burma. Their home state in eastern India is now called Odisha, after being known as Orissa until recently. The people group’s name in English was also changed from Oriya to Odia. Although there are 45 million Odia people globally, 44 million live in India and their diaspora around the world is much smaller than that of all other major Indian language groups. In Bangladesh, where Odia people were first brought to work on tea plantations by the British in the 19th century, the 32,500 Odia people are known as the “Bonaz.”

Language: Odia is a member of the Indo-European language family, related to yet separate from other large Indian languages like Hindi and Bengali. Today many Odia people in Myanmar may have lost the ability to read their native language.


History

Odia people were first brought to British-controlled Burma in the 19th century, with “Many settling in the country as colonial maritime businessmen. From 1820 to 1941, ships sailed from Gopalpur in Odisha to Yangon in Myanmar…. By 1940, many Odia organizations had been established, and there were also five Odia printing presses publishing daily, weekly and monthly magazines.” Some Odia families were wealthy at the time, while others struggled to survive. After Japan bombed Yangon in December 1941, trade between Odisha and Myanmar immediately ceased. Then, without a source of income and having become unwelcome strangers in a county that had never embraced them, many Odia people began the arduous three-month journey on foot across Myanmar, Bangladesh, Assam, and West Bengal to their homeland. Hundreds died from exhaustion and starvation. Those who were unable to walk that far had no choice but to remain in Myanmar, where they have survived in abject poverty to this day.


Customs

In India the Odia are generally regarded as hard-working farmers and fishermen and are not noted for being wealthy merchants or bankers like some other Indian groups. Today, many Odia in Myanmar struggle to make ends meet. Some are shop owners or civil servants, but most are common laborers. Since the 2021 civil war began, work and food has dried up, and the middle and lower economic classes in Myanmar have become destitute and face challenges just to make it through each day.


Religion

Almost all Odia people in Myanmar are Hindus, with Yangon City boasting several temples built by the Odia community. Regular rituals and festivals are celebrated, and offerings are made in a bid to protect the people from sickness and misfortune, which they believe is placed on them by evil spirits and witches. A small number of Odia in Myanmar are Muslims, with even fewer Christians among them.


Christianity

In 1931, 674 (1.1%) of Odia people in Myanmar identified as Christians. That scant number has not improved but may have decreased as Odia Christian families returned to India. The Odia Bible was first published in 1815 but is not available in Myanmar. Tight customs restrictions on items from India make it almost impossible to import. The Odia people remain a needy, unreached group with little Gospel witness.


Prayer Items

Scripture Prayers for the South Asian, Odia-speaking in Myanmar (Burma).


Profile Source:   Asia Harvest  

Additional PDF Profile


People Name General South Asian, Odia-speaking
People Name in Country South Asian, Odia-speaking
Natural Name Odia-speaking South Asian
Alternate Names Oriya; Utkali; Vadiya; Bonaz; Odisha; Odri; Odrum; Oliya; Uriya; Yudhia
Population this Country 128,000
Population all Countries 128,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 3
PeopleID3 14212
ROP3 Code 107677
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 13  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Yangon Region; Mandalay Region   Source:  Asia Harvest prayer profile 2024
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 13  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Yangon Region; Mandalay Region.   Source:  Asia Harvest prayer profile 2024
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.20 %)
1.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
94.00 %
Islam
4.00 %
Non-Religious
1.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Odia (128,000 speakers)
Language Code ory   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Odia (128,000 speakers)
Language Code ory   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Odia

Primary Language:  Odia

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1811-1956)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1809-2000)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1815-2021)
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 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 Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Odia 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 Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
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 Scripture Earth Gospel resources links (Oriya) 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 Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Odia YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Odia (Oriya) / English Bible (AKJV) General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible App: Odiya Bible (ଓଡିଆ ବାଇବେଲ) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Oriya Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Odiya Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
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: Odia YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible Radio App: Odiya Bible Radio iOS Revive India
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
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)
Paul Arps - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source Asia Harvest-Operation Myanmar  
Profile Source Asia Harvest 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.