Chhetri (Kshetri, Kshettri, Kshetry or Chhettri), ( ne, क्षेत्री ;
IAST: ''Kṣetrī'') historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are
Nepali
Nepali or Nepalese may refer to :
Concerning Nepal
* Anything of, from, or related to Nepal
* Nepali people, citizens of Nepal
* Nepali language, an Indo-Aryan language found in Nepal, the current official national language and a language spoken ...
speakers of
Khas
Khas people (; ne, खस) popularly known as Khas Arya are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the Himalayan region of South Asia, what is now present-day Nepal, Indian states of Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Sikkim. Historical ...
community, some of whom trace their origin to migration from
medieval India
Medieval India refers to a long period of Post-classical history of the Indian subcontinent between the "ancient period" and "modern period". It is usually regarded as running approximately from the breakup of the Gupta Empire in the 6th cent ...
.
Chhetri was a
caste
Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural ...
of administrators, governor and military elites in the medieval
Khas Kingdom and
Gorkha Kingdom
Gorkha Kingdom ( ne, गोरखा राज्य) was a member of the Chaubisi rajya, a confederation of 24 states on the Indian subcontinent ruled by Khas people. In 1743 CE, the kingdom began a campaign of military expansion, annexing s ...
(later unified
Kingdom of Nepal
The Kingdom of Nepal ( ne, नेपाल अधिराज्य), also known as the Gorkha Empire ( ne, गोरखा अधिराज्य) or Asal Hindustan ( ne, असल हिन्दुस्तान)(), was a Hindu kin ...
). The nobility of the Gorkha Kingdom mainly originated from Chhetri families. They also had a strong presence in civil administration affairs. The bulk of
prime ministers of Nepal
A prime number (or a prime) is a natural number greater than 1 that is not a product of two smaller natural numbers. A natural number greater than 1 that is not prime is called a composite number. For example, 5 is prime because the only ways ...
before the
democratization of Nepal belonged to this caste as a result of the old Gorkhali aristocracy. Gorkha-based aristocratic Chhetri families included the
Pande dynasty
The Pande family or Pande dynasty (Also spelled as Pandey or Panday) ( ne, पाँडे वंश/पाँडे काजी खलक; or ) was a Rajput Chhetri political family that directly ruled Nepali administration affairs since ...
, the
Basnyat dynasty, the
Kunwar family
The Kunwar family ( ne, कुँवर परिवार) was a noble Khas-Chhetri family in the Gorkha Kingdom and the Kingdom of Nepal. Kunwars were linked to the Thapa dynasty and family of Amar Singh Thapa by marital lineages and, thus ...
, and the
Thapa dynasty
Thapa dynasty or Thapa noble family ( ne, थापा वंश/थापा काजी खलक ) was a Kshatriya political family that handled Nepali administration affairs between 1806 and 1837 A.D. and 1843 to 1845 A.D. as Muk ...
, (
Rana dynasty
Rana dynasty ( ne, राणा वंश, IAST=Rāṇā vaṃśa , ) is a Chhetri dynasty that imposed totalitarianism in the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other ...
and other
Kunwars).
Khas Chhetris were traditionally considered a division of the Khas people with
Khas Brahmin (commonly called Khas Bahun). They make up 16.6% of Nepal's population according to the
2011 Nepal census
Nepal conducted a widespread national census in 2011 by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics. Working with the 58 municipalities and the 3915 Village Development Committees at a district level, they recorded data from all the municipalities an ...
, making them the most populous caste or
ethnic community in Nepal.
Chhetris speak an
Indo-Aryan Nepali language
Nepali (; , ) is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Himalayas region of South Asia. It is the official, and most widely spoken, language of Nepal, where it also serves as a '' lingua franca''. Nepali has official status in the Indian st ...
(''
Khas-Kura'') as mother tongue.
Etymology and background
Chhetri is considered a direct derivative of the Sanskrit word ''
Kshatriya
Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the co ...
''. According to the 1854 Legal Code (''Muluki Ain'') of Nepal, Chhetris are the social group among the
sacred thread bearers (
Tagadhari
''Tagadhari'' () are members of a Nepalese Hindu group that is perceived as historically having a high socio-religious status in Nepalese society. Tagadhari are identified by a ''sacred thread'' ( Janai) around the torso, which is used for ritua ...
) and ''
twice-born people'' of the
Hindu tradition. Almost all Chhetris are Hindu.
History

They are thought to be connected to the
Khasas
Khasas (Devanāgarī: खश; ') were an ancient Indo-Aryan tribe and a late Janapada kingdom from Himalayan regions of northern Indian subcontinent mentioned in the various historical Indian inscriptions and ancient Indian Hindu and Tibetan lite ...
mentioned in the ancient Indian literature and the medieval
Khasa kingdom.
In the early modern history of Nepal, Chhetris played a key role in the
Unification of Nepal
The Unification of Nepal, also known as Expansion of Gorkha Kingdom, officially began in 1743 AD (1799 BS) after King Prithvi Narayan Shah of Gorkha launched an aggressive annexation campaign seeking to broaden his own kingdom's border. Afte ...
, providing the core of the
Gorkhali army of the mid-18th century.
Bir Bhadra Thapa
Bir Bhadra Thapa or Birabhadra Thapa ( ne, वीरभद्र थापा) also spelled Virabhadra or Virbhadra, was a politician, courtier and military officer in the Gorkha Kingdom during the 18th century. Born in medieval Tanahun Kingdom, he ...
was a
Thapa of Chhetri group and leading Bharadar during
Unification of Nepal
The Unification of Nepal, also known as Expansion of Gorkha Kingdom, officially began in 1743 AD (1799 BS) after King Prithvi Narayan Shah of Gorkha launched an aggressive annexation campaign seeking to broaden his own kingdom's border. Afte ...
. His grandson
Bhimsen Thapa
Bhimsen Thapa ( ne, भीमसेन थापा (August 1775 – 29 July 1839)) was a Nepalese statesman who served as the ''Mukhtiyar'' (equivalent to prime minister) and de facto ruler of Nepal from 1806 to 1837. He is widely known as the ...
became
Mukhtiyar (Prime Minister) of Nepal.
Swarup Singh Karki, a leading politician and military officer, belonged to Chhetri family.
Abhiman Singh Basnyat
Abhiman Singh Basnet/Basnyat ( ne, अभिमान सिंह बस्न्यात) was first Commander-in-Chief of Unified Nepal."Regmi Research Series" Author:Mahesh Chandra Regmi Abhiman Singh became the first Commander in Chief of a U ...
of
Basnyat dynasty and
Damodar Pande
Damodar Pande ( ne, दामोदर पाँडे) (1752 – March 13, 1804) was the Mulkaji of Nepal (equivalent to Prime Minister of Nepal) from 1803 to 1804 and most influential Kaji since 1794 to his death on March 13, 1804. He is al ...
of
Pande dynasty
The Pande family or Pande dynasty (Also spelled as Pandey or Panday) ( ne, पाँडे वंश/पाँडे काजी खलक; or ) was a Rajput Chhetri political family that directly ruled Nepali administration affairs since ...
were both members of Chhetri caste.
Jung Bahadur Rana
Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsingh Kunwar ( ne, वीर नरसिंह कुँवर), 18 June 1817; popularly known as Jung Bahadur Rana (JBR, ne, जङ्गबहादुर राणा)) () belonging to the ...
, founder of
Rana dynasty
Rana dynasty ( ne, राणा वंश, IAST=Rāṇā vaṃśa , ) is a Chhetri dynasty that imposed totalitarianism in the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other ...
also belonged to the Chhetri community.

During the monarchy, Chhetris continued to dominate the ranks of the
Nepalese government
The Government of Nepal ( ne, नेपाल सरकार) is the federal executive authority of Nepal. Prior to the abolition of the Nepali monarchy in 2006 (became republic in 2008), it was officially known as His Majesty's Government.
T ...
,
Nepalese Army
The Nepali Army ( ne, नेपाली सेना, translit=Nēpālī Sēnā), technically the Gorkhali Army ( ne, गोरखाली सेना, translit=Gōrakhālī Sēnā, label=none; see '' Gorkhas''), is the land service branc ...
,
Nepalese Police and administration.
Chhetri noble families

The most prominent feature of Nepalese Chhetri society has been the ruling
Shah dynasty
The Shah dynasty ( ne, शाह वंश), also known as the Shahs of Gorkha or the Royal House of Gorkha, was the ruling Chaubise Thakuri dynasty ; and the founder of Gorkha Kingdom from 1559 to 1768 and later the unified Kingdom of Nepal ...
(1768–2008), the
Rana Prime Ministers (1846–1953),
Pande family
The Pande family or Pande dynasty (Also spelled as Pandey or Panday) ( ne, पाँडे वंश/पाँडे काजी खलक; or ) was a Rajput Chhetri political family that directly ruled Nepali administration affairs since ...
,
Thapa family,
Basnyat family
Basnyat/Basnet family or Basnyat/Basnet dynasty ( ne, बस्न्यात वंश/बस्न्यात काजी खलक) was a Khas- Chhetri and a warlord clan family involved in the politics and administration of the Gorkha ...
,. that marginalized the monarchy, and the Chhetri presence in the armed forces, police, and
Government of Nepal
The Government of Nepal ( ne, नेपाल सरकार) is the federal executive authority of Nepal. Prior to the abolition of the Nepali monarchy in 2006 (became republic in 2008), it was officially known as His Majesty's Government.
T ...
. In traditional and administrative professions, Chhetris were given favorable treatment by the
royal government.
Chhetri and premiership
The nobility of
Gorkha
The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian subcontinent, Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India.
The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Go ...
were mainly from Chhetri families and they had a strong presence in civil administration affairs. All of the
Prime Minister of Nepal
The Prime Minister of Nepal ( ne, नेपालको प्रधानमन्त्री) is the head of government of Nepal. The Prime Minister is the head of the Council of Ministers of Nepal and the chief adviser to the President of N ...
between 1768 and 1950 were Chhetris with the exception of
Ranga Nath Poudyal
Ranga Nath Poudyal Atri ( ne, रङ्गनाथ पौड्याल) popularly known as Ranganath Pandit was the Mukhtiyar of Nepal from 1837 December to 1838 August and in 1840 November for about 2–3 weeks. He was the first Brahmin Prime ...
, being a Brahmin. These number varied after the
democratization of Nepal. Between 1951 and 1997, out of the 16 Prime Ministers of Nepal, 5 of them were Chhetris.
Military achievements

Chhetri had dominated high military positions and monopolized the military force at the times of Chhetri autocratic administrators like PM
Bhimsen Thapa
Bhimsen Thapa ( ne, भीमसेन थापा (August 1775 – 29 July 1839)) was a Nepalese statesman who served as the ''Mukhtiyar'' (equivalent to prime minister) and de facto ruler of Nepal from 1806 to 1837. He is widely known as the ...
and PM
Jung Bahadur Rana
Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsingh Kunwar ( ne, वीर नरसिंह कुँवर), 18 June 1817; popularly known as Jung Bahadur Rana (JBR, ne, जङ्गबहादुर राणा)) () belonging to the ...
. There were 12
Basnyat
Basnyat/Basnet family or Basnyat/Basnet dynasty ( ne, बस्न्यात वंश/बस्न्यात काजी खलक) was a Khas-Chhetri and a warlord clan family involved in the politics and administration of the Gorkha Ki ...
s, 16
Pandes, 6
Thapas and 3
Kunwar officers totalling to 51 Chhetri officers in the year 1841 A.D. The most prominent officers at
Shah administration were the
Kazis which had control over civil and military functions like a Minister and Military officer combined.
Rana Jang Pande
Rana Jang Pande ( ne, रणजङ्ग पाँडे) was the 3rd Prime Minister of the government of Nepal and the most powerful person in political scenario in three decades from the aristocratic Pande clan. He was one of the sons of Mukhti ...
, the leader of Pande faction, was the
Prime Minister of Nepal
The Prime Minister of Nepal ( ne, नेपालको प्रधानमन्त्री) is the head of government of Nepal. The Prime Minister is the head of the Council of Ministers of Nepal and the chief adviser to the President of N ...
in 1841 A.D. which might have caused large Pande officers at 1841. After the rise
Rana dynasty
Rana dynasty ( ne, राणा वंश, IAST=Rāṇā vaṃśa , ) is a Chhetri dynasty that imposed totalitarianism in the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other ...
(Kunwars), the number changed to 10
Basnyat
Basnyat/Basnet family or Basnyat/Basnet dynasty ( ne, बस्न्यात वंश/बस्न्यात काजी खलक) was a Khas-Chhetri and a warlord clan family involved in the politics and administration of the Gorkha Ki ...
s, 1
Pandes, 3
Thapas and 26
Kunwar officers totaling to 61 Chhetri officers in the year 1854 A.D.
Chhetris dominated the position of the senior officers of the Nepali Army comprising 74.4% of total senior officers in 1967. Similarly, Chhetris composed of 38.1%, 54.3% and 55.3% of the senior officers in the year 2003, 2004 and 2007 respectively.
Clans & surnames
Clans of the Chhetri include:
*
Adhikari
* Baniya
*
Basnet
Basnet/Basnyat ( ne, बस्नेत/बस्न्यात) is a surname of Khasas of Nepal and India.
It is found among Jharra Chhetri community.
There are five different branches of Basnets in Nepal:
*The Shreepali (Sripali) Juml ...
*
Bisht
*
Bhandari
Bhandari or Bhandary or Bhanderi is a surname found in various Hindu castes and communities in India and Nepal. Bhandari or Bhanderi means ''treasurer'', keeper of a storehouse. In Punjab, Bhandaris belong to the Khatri caste. In Nepal, the su ...
*
Bohra
*
Burathoki
*
Chauhan
Chauhan, historically ''Chahamana'', is a clan name historically associated with the various ruling Rajput families during the Medieval India in Rajasthan.
Subclans
Khichi, Hada, Songara, Bhadauria, Devda etc. are the branches or subclan ...
*
Gharti
*
Karki
*
Khadka
Khadka ( ne, खड्का), anciently called as Khaḍga ( sa, खड्गा), is a surname of Khas -Chhetri community. Khadga was an ancient ''Paikelā'' (warrior) rank along with '' Thāpā'', ''Rānā'' and ''Buḍhā''.
Kunwar Khadka cla ...
*
Khatri
Khatri is a caste of the Indian subcontinent that is predominantly found in India, but also in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the subcontinent, they were mostly engaged in mercantilistic professions such as banking and trade, they were the d ...
/Khatri Chhetri (K.C.)
*
Khulal
Chhetri (Kshetri, Kshettri, Kshetry or Chhettri), ( ne, क्षेत्री ; IAST: ''Kṣetrī'') historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are Nepali speakers of Khas community, some of whom trace their origin to migration fr ...
*
Kunwar
*
Pande/पाँडे (not to be mistaken with Brahmin Pande)
*
Rana
Rana may refer to:
Astronomy
* Rana (crater), a crater on Mars
* Delta Eridani or Rana, a star
People, groups and titles
* Rana (name), a given name and surname (including a list of people and characters with the name)
* Rana (title), a histor ...
*
Raut
*
Rawal
Rawal (also spelled Raval) or Raol originally is a regional variation of the Hindi princely ruler title Raja/Radjah (literally "king") used in some princely states in Rajputana and Western India (notably Gujarat), and is now also used as a caste ...
*
Rayamajhi
*
Rokka
is a Japanese light novel series written by Ishio Yamagata, with illustrations by Miyagi. Shueisha has published six volumes since August 2011. A manga adaptation by Kei Toru began serialization in Shueisha's ''Super Dash & Go!'' magazine in ...
*
Thapa
Demographics
The 2011 Nepal census recorded Chhetris as the largest
Hindu adherents in the nation with 4,365,113 people which is 99.3% of total Chhetri population.
In Nepal's hill districts the Chhetri population rises to 41% compared to 31%
Brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers ( ...
and 27% other castes. This greatly exceeds the Kshatriya portion in most regions with predominantly Hindu populations.
Chhetris are largest caste group in 21
districts of Nepal
Districts in Nepal are second level of administrative divisions after provinces. Districts are subdivided in municipalities and rural municipalities. There are seven provinces and 77 districts in Nepal.
After the state's reconstruction of ad ...
as per
2001 Nepal census The 2001 Nepal census ( ne, राष्ट्रिय जनगणना २०५८) was conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics.National Report 2001 -> Introduction Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics
According to the census, the po ...
and 24 districts as per
2011 Nepal census
Nepal conducted a widespread national census in 2011 by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics. Working with the 58 municipalities and the 3915 Village Development Committees at a district level, they recorded data from all the municipalities an ...
. These twenty four districts are -
Dhankuta district
Dhankuta District ( ne, धनकुटा जिल्ला) () is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. The district covers an area of and has a population (2011) of 163,412. Dhankuta is the district headquarters of Dha ...
,
Sankhuwasabha district
Sankhuwasabha District ( ne, सङ्खुवासभा जिल्ला ) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. The district's area is 3,480 km2 with a population of 159,203 in 2001 and 158,742 in 2011 ...
,
Okhaldhunga district
Okhaldhunga District ( ne, ओखलढुङ्गा जिल्ला) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 in eastern Nepal. The district, with Okhaldhunga as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population of 156,70 ...
,
Udayapur district
Udayapur District ( ne, उदयपुर जिल्ला, is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. The district, with Triyuga as its district headquarters, covers an area of and in 2001 had a population of 287,689, in 2 ...
,
Ramechhap district
Ramechhap District ( ne, रामेछाप जिल्ला), a part of Bagmati Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal, a landlocked country of South Asia. The district, known as wallo Kirat Ramechhap, with Manthali as ...
,
Dolakha District
Dolakha, often known as Dolkha or Dholkha (Nepal Bhasa:दोलखा जिल्ला)), a part of Bagmati Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Charikot as its district headquarters, covers an area of ...
,
Salyan district Salyan may refer to:
Places Azerbaijan
* Salyan District (Azerbaijan), a district of Azerbaijan
* Salyan, Azerbaijan, capital of the Salyan rayon (district)
* Shirvan-Salyan economic region, an economic region of Azerbaijan
Nepal
* Salyan Dist ...
,
Surkhet district
Surkhet District ( ne, सुर्खेत जिल्ला, ) is a district in Karnali Province of mid-western Nepal. Surkhet is the one of the ten districts of Karnali located about west of the national capital Kathmandu. The district's are ...
,
Dailekh district
Dailekh District ( ne, दैलेख जिल्ला ) a part of Karnali Province, is one of the 77 districts of Nepal. The district, with Dailekh as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population of 225,201 in 2001 and ...
,
Jajarkot district
Jajarkot District ( ne, जाजरकोट जिल्ला) a part of Karnali Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Khalanga as its district headquarters, covers an area of and has a population of 1 ...
,
Dolpa district
Dolpa District ( ne, डोल्पा जिल्ला), is a district, located in Karnali Province of Nepal, It is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal and one of ten district of Karnali. The district, with Dunai as its district h ...
,
Jumla district
Jumla District ( ne, जुम्ला जिल्ला), is one of the ten districts of the Karnali province of Nepal. This district has Jumla as its headquarters, an area of ; it had populations of 89,427 and 108,921, respectively, in th ...
,
Mugu district
Mugu District ( ne, मुगु जिल्ला ), a part of Karnali Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Gamgadhi as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population (2011) of 55,286. ...
,
Humla district
Humla District ( ne, हुम्ला जिल्ला), a part of Karnali Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Simikot as its district headquarters, covers an area of and has population of 50,858 a ...
,
Bajura district
Bajura District ( ne, बाजुरा जिल्ला ), a part of Sudurpashchim Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Martadi (today part of Badimalika municipality) as its district headquarters, ...
,
Bajhang district
Bajhang District ( , a part of Sudurpashchim Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Chainpur, that is part of Jaya Prithvi Municipality, as its district headquarters, covers an area of and has a population ...
,
Achham district
Achham ( ne, अछाम जिल्ला ) is a district located in Sudurpashchim province of Nepal. It is one of the nine districts of the province. The district, with Mangalsen as its district headquarters, covers an area of 1,692  ...
,
Doti district
Doti District ( ne, डोटी जिल्ला ), part of Sudurpashchim Province, is one of the 77 districts of Nepal. This district, with Silgadhi as its headquarters, covers an area of with a population of 207,066 in 2001 and increasing ...
,
Kailali district,
Dadeldhura district
Dadeldhura, a part of Sudurpashchim Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Dadeldhura as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population of 126,162 in 2001 and 142,094 in 2011.
The region ...
,
Baitadi district
Baitadi District ( ne, बैतडी जिल्ला ), historical name “Bairath” (बैराथ), a part of Sudurpashchim Province, is one of the 77 districts of Nepal. It is a Hill district. Baitadi, with Dasharathchand as its hea ...
,
Darchula district
Darchula District ( ne, दार्चुला जिल्ला , a part of Sudurpashchim Province, is one of the nine districts of province and one of seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Khalanga ( Mahakali Municipality) ...
,
Kalikot district
Kalikot District ( ne, कालीकोट जिल्ला ), a part of Karnali province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Manma as its district headquarters, covers an area of , had a population of 105,580 ...
and
Kanchanpur district
Kanchanpur District ( ne, कञ्चनपुर जिल्ला ), a part of Sudurpashchim Province in the Terai plain, is one of seventy seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Bhimdatta as its district headquarters, covers an area ...
.
Among them, the district with largest Chhetri population is
Kathmandu district
Kathmandu District ( ne, काठमाडौं जिल्ला; Nepal Bhasa: ये: जिल्ला) is a district located in Kathmandu Valley, Bagmati Province of Nepal. It is one of the 77 districts of Nepal, covers an area of , a ...
with 347,754 (i.e. 19.9% of the total district population).
The literacy rate among Chhetris is 72.3% as per
2011 Nepal census
Nepal conducted a widespread national census in 2011 by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics. Working with the 58 municipalities and the 3915 Village Development Committees at a district level, they recorded data from all the municipalities an ...
.
As per the
Public Service Commission Public Service Commission may refer to:
* Public utilities commission
** Alabama Public Service Commission
** Public Service Commission (Indiana)
** Public Service Commission of Utah
** Public Utilities Commission of Ohio
** Public Utilities Com ...
of Nepal,
Brahmins
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (gur ...
(33.3%) and Chhetris (20.01%) were two largest caste group to obtain governmental jobs in the fiscal year 2017–18, even though 45% governmental seats are reserved for women,
Madhesis,
lower caste and tribes, and other marginalized groups.
Present day

Chhetri together with Bahun and thakuri falls under
Khas Arya
Khas people (; ne, खस) popularly known as Khas Arya are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the Himalayan region of South Asia, what is now present-day Nepal, Indian states of Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Sikkim. Historicall ...
, who are denied
quota and reservations in civil services and other sectors due to their history of socio-political dominance in Nepal. There are no quotas for the
Khas community
Khas people (; ne, खस) popularly known as Khas Arya are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the Himalayan region of South Asia, what is now present-day Nepal, Indian states of Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Sikkim. Historica ...
who fall under ''Bahun-Chhetri-thakuri'' hierarchy. As per the explanation of legal provisions of
Constitution of Nepal
Constitution of Nepal 2015 ( ne, नेपालको संविधान २०७२) is the present governing Constitution of Nepal.
Nepal is governed according to the Constitution which came into effect on 20 September 2015, replacing the ...
, Khas Arya comprises the Brahmin, Kshetri, Thakur and Sanyasi (Dashnami) communities. But they are allowed reservation in federal parliament and provincial legislature.
The
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been ...
has been accused of direct interference, creating ethnic strife and negative discrimination towards ''Khas Arya'' due to their recommendation to remove the reservation for Khas Aryas.
Notable people
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Bir Bhadra Thapa
Bir Bhadra Thapa or Birabhadra Thapa ( ne, वीरभद्र थापा) also spelled Virabhadra or Virbhadra, was a politician, courtier and military officer in the Gorkha Kingdom during the 18th century. Born in medieval Tanahun Kingdom, he ...
and
Thapa dynasty
Thapa dynasty or Thapa noble family ( ne, थापा वंश/थापा काजी खलक ) was a Kshatriya political family that handled Nepali administration affairs between 1806 and 1837 A.D. and 1843 to 1845 A.D. as Muk ...
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Swarup Singh Karki
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Abhiman Singh Basnyat
Abhiman Singh Basnet/Basnyat ( ne, अभिमान सिंह बस्न्यात) was first Commander-in-Chief of Unified Nepal."Regmi Research Series" Author:Mahesh Chandra Regmi Abhiman Singh became the first Commander in Chief of a U ...
and
Basnyat dynasty
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Damodar Pande
Damodar Pande ( ne, दामोदर पाँडे) (1752 – March 13, 1804) was the Mulkaji of Nepal (equivalent to Prime Minister of Nepal) from 1803 to 1804 and most influential Kaji since 1794 to his death on March 13, 1804. He is al ...
and
Pande dynasty
The Pande family or Pande dynasty (Also spelled as Pandey or Panday) ( ne, पाँडे वंश/पाँडे काजी खलक; or ) was a Rajput Chhetri political family that directly ruled Nepali administration affairs since ...
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Jung Bahadur Rana
Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsingh Kunwar ( ne, वीर नरसिंह कुँवर), 18 June 1817; popularly known as Jung Bahadur Rana (JBR, ne, जङ्गबहादुर राणा)) () belonging to the ...
and
Rana dynasty
Rana dynasty ( ne, राणा वंश, IAST=Rāṇā vaṃśa , ) is a Chhetri dynasty that imposed totalitarianism in the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1951, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other ...
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Amar Singh Thapa (sanu)
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Queen Subarna Prabha Devi
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Bhimsen Thapa
Bhimsen Thapa ( ne, भीमसेन थापा (August 1775 – 29 July 1839)) was a Nepalese statesman who served as the ''Mukhtiyar'' (equivalent to prime minister) and de facto ruler of Nepal from 1806 to 1837. He is widely known as the ...
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Gagan Singh Bhandari
{{no footnotes, date=January 2020
General Gagan Singh Khawas (sinjhapati) (Nepali: गगनसिंह) was a Nepalese General. He was the commander-in-chief of the most powerful party headed by Queen Rajya Lakshmi Devi, the favourite wife of K ...
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Mohan Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana
Field-Marshal Shree Shree Shree Maharaja Sir Mohan Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana ( ne, मोहन शम्शेर जङ्गबहादुर राणा), GCB, GCIE, GBE (23 December 1885 – 6 January 1967) was the prime minister ...
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Sher Bahadur Thapa
Sher Bahadur Thapa ( ne, शेरबहादुर थापा) VC (20 November 1921 – 19 September 1944) was a Nepalese Gurkha recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the ...
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Kunwar Inderjit Singh
Kunwar Indrajit Singh ( ne, कुँवर इन्द्रजीत सिंह; 1906 – 4 October 1982), popularly known as Dr. K.I. Singh or just K.I. Singh was a Nepali politician and revolutionary who served as the 20th Prime Minis ...
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Subarna Shamsher Rana
Subarna Shamsher Rana ( ne, सुवर्ण सम्शेर राणा) (1910 – 9 November 1977) was a leading figure in the movement to overthrow the ruling Rana oligarchy and to establish democracy in Nepal. He was one of the three ...
*Surya Bahadur Thapa
*Sunil Chhetri, football player
See also
*Caste system in Nepal
*Ethnic groups in Nepal
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Kshatriya
Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the co ...
*Caste system in India
*Varna (Hinduism)
References
Footnotes
Notes
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Further reading
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{{Social class
Ethnic groups in Nepal
Castes
Ethnic groups in India
Khas people
Kshatriya communities
Ethnic groups in Northeast India
Ethnic groups in South Asia