Desai (

Hindi Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

: देसाई) () is an Indian administrative, princely or honorary title and surname.

Etymology

The word is derived from the

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

''deśa'' (country) and ''svāmī'' (lord).

Desai as a title

Desai was a title given to feudal

lord Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...

s, and others who were granted a village or group of villages in Maharashtra,

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

and

North Karnataka North Karnataka is a geographical region in Deccan plateau from elevation that constitutes the region of the Karnataka state in India and the region consists of 13 districts. It is drained by the Krishna River and its tributaries the Bhi ...

. The title Desai should not be associated with a particular religion or caste, though a Desai would use the title of Rao or Rai or Raje as a suffix to his name denoting he is a king of those villages, The "Desai" title was given by

Maratha emperors The Maratha rulers, belonging to the various dynasties, from the early 17th century to the early 18th century, built and ruled the Maratha Empire on the Indian subcontinent. It was established by the Chhatrapati (the Maratha emperor) in 1670s. ...

Mughal emperors The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled ...

and by the Deccan sultanates. * In Maharashtra, the title ''Desai'' is conferred to feudal lords and village council members. Most of them are either Deshastha Brahmins,

Maratha The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as ...

Dhangar Dhangar is a herding caste of people found in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. They are referred as Gavli in southern Maharashtra, Goa and northern Karnataka, Golla in Andhra Pradesh and Karna ...

Saraswat Brahmin The Saraswat Brahmins are Hindu Brahmins, who are spread over widely separated regions spanning from Kashmir in North India to Konkan in West India to Kanara (coastal region of Karnataka) and Kerala in South India. The word ''Saraswat'' is de ...

s and

Karhade Brahmin Karhaḍe Brahmins (also spelled as Karada Brahmins or Karad Brahmins) are a Hindu Brahmin sub-caste mainly from the Indian state of Maharashtra, but are also distributed in states of Goa, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Classification Along w ...

s. * Desai's were the rulers of

Kudal Kudal is a census town in Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra, India. It is situated on River Karli in southwest Maharashtara. Kudal is the fourth largest town in Sindhudurg after Sawantwadi, Malvan and Kankavli. As of 2011, the population is 16 ...

(

Sindhudurg Sindhudurg Fort (Marathi pronunciation: in̪d̪ʱud̪uɾɡ is a historical fort that occupies an island in the Arabian Sea, just off the coast of Maharashtra in Western India. The fort was built by Shivaji Maharaj.The fortress lies on the sh ...

) in Maharashtra. *In Gujarat, ''Desai'' is honoured to Anavil Brahmin, Khedaval Brahimins, Vaishnav Vanik and Patidars caste people. The title was also given to feudal lords and revenue collectors Desai, or a loftier compound, was a rare title for rulers of a few princely states, notably: * Raja Sar Desai in the Maratha Savantvadi State from 1627 until the adoption of "Raja Bahadur" in 1763. *Desai Shri in Patdi (the former

Viramgam State Viramgam is a town and former princely state in the Indian state of Gujarat. The town is located in the Ahmedabad district, which contains the city of Ahmedabad, the state's largest city. Gateway Distriparks notably flagged off the first export ...

), in

Eastern Kathiawar Kathiawar () is a peninsula, near the far north of India's west coast, of about bordering the Arabian Sea. It is bounded by the Gulf of Kutch in the northwest and by the Gulf of Khambhat (Gulf of Cambay) in the east. In the northeast, it is ...

, where Desai was also the name of the ruling family, which belongs to the Desai clan of Kadwa Patidar.

Desai as a surname

Desai as a surname is used by Deshastha Brahmin,

Anavil Brahmin Anavil Brahmins are a community of Brahmins who, despite not being numerically superior, are particularly dominant in the Surat and Bulsar districts of south Gujarat, India, where they have been significant land-owners and have an influential role ...

, Khedaval Brahmin,

Rabari The Rabari people (also known as Desai, Rabari, Raika, and Dewasi people) are an ethnic group from the Rajasthan also found in Gujarat Kutch region. Origin Myth The Rabari myth of origin is kshatriya that Shiva put them on earth to tend to the ...

Leva Patel Leva Patel (Leuva Patidar) is a sub-caste or community of Patidars in India, situated mainly in Kathiawar region of Gujarat. Compared to other Patidar subcastes such as the Kadavas, they had greater wealth and control of positions in commerce, e ...

Patidar Patidar ( Gujarati: ) is an Indian landlord and agrarian caste found mostly in Gujarat but also in at least 22 other states of India. The community comprises at multiple subcastes, most prominently the Levas and Kadvas. They form one of the ...

, Bania and

Lingayat Lingayatism or Veera Saivism is a Hindu denomination based on Shaivism. Initially known as ''Veerashaivas'', since the 12th-century adherents of this faith are known as ''Lingayats''. The terms ''Lingayatism'' and ''Veerashaivism'' have been ...

communities of Maharashtra,

and

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

Individual people

Notable individuals with the surname Desai include: ; Public officers *

Gopaldas Ambaidas Desai Gopaldas Ambaidas Desai (1887–1951) also called Darbar Gopaldas Desai was a prince who ascended the throne of the State of Dhasa in Saurashtra and a noted Gandhian political and social activist. He is remembered as the first prince in India ...

– politician; former Prince of

Dhasa Dhasa is a small city and railway junction in Botad District of Gujarat. Dhasa with Major Population Of Koli And Nadoda Rajput. Dhasa Known As Home Of BJP Party Almost 30 Years BJP Ruled Dhasa With Village Chief Kalubhai Dayabhai Pavra And Also Ta ...

Babubhai Desai Babubhai Desai is a Member of Legislative assembly and a Best MLA Award Winner of Gujarat (India) from Maktupur, Mehsana (Gujarat) Kankrej constituency in Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of ...

- Ex MLA of kankrej *

Kantilal Thakoredas Desai Kantilal Thakoredas Desai (1 May 1903 - 29 January 1977) was the second Chief Justice at the High Court of Gujarat whose term in office was from January 1961 till May 1963. Career Desai studied at Bombay. He enrolled as an Advocate at the H ...

– second Chief Justice of

* Kevit Desai - Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education state department for Vocational and Technical Training,

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi ...

* Krishna Desai – CPI politician * Morarji Desai – Prime Minister of India (1977–79) * Mahadev Desai – Secretary to Mahatma Gandhi * S. T. Desai – first Chief Justice of Gujarat * Haridas Viharidas Desai - Diwan of Junagadh state (1883–95) * Bhimsen Venkatrao Desai - Politician; Member of the 7th and 8th Lok Sabha representing the Raichur constituency of KarnatakaList of members of the 7th Lok Sabha#Karnataka * Shamburaj Shivajirao Desai- State Minister Of Home Affairs, Maharashtra, Currently Serving His 4th Term As MLA in Maharashtra Assembly ;Arts, sciences and business *Anita Desai – Author; mother of author Kiran Desai *Bhairavi Desai – American labor union leader *Bindu (actress), Bindu Desai – Actress *C. D. Desai – Banker and philatelist *Ebrahim Desai – Islamic scholar *Kiran Desai – Author; 2006 Man Booker Prize winner *Kishwar Desai – Author *Manmohan Desai – Director *Mavjibhai Desai – Vice Chairman of Banas Dairy *Meghnad Desai, Baron Desai – economist *Mihir A. Desai - American economist and professor at Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School *Nitin Chandrakant Desai – Art director *Padma Desai – American economist and professor at Columbia University *Ramanlal Desai - Gujarati writer *Ranjit Desai – Marathi language, Marathi writer *Salil Desai – Author *Sapan Desai – American physician; publisher and discredited researcher *Umedram Lalbhai Desai – Physician ; Culture & Sports *Anoop Desai – American singer *Gunwant Desai – Indian cricketer *K. R. Desai - Cricketer; philanthropist; educator *Prachi Desai – Actress *Ramakant Desai – Cricketer; India's first fast bowler *Rashami Desai – Actress *Ravish Desai – Actor *Renu Desai – Actress *Kantilal Thakoredas Desai, Satyaki "Sattu" Desai – Environmental officer *Sean Desai - American football coach; Defensive Coordinator for the Chicago Bears *Subhash Desai – Shiv Sena leader *Tina Desai – Actress *Rajdeep Sardesai - News Anchor

References

{{surname Indian feudalism Indian surnames Hindu surnames Gujarati-language surnames

Etymology

Desai as a title

Desai as a surname

Individual people

See also

References