Chhetri (Kshetri, Kshettri, Kshetry or Chhettri), ( ;

IAST The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Brahmic family, Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that ...

: ''Kṣetrī'') historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are Nepali speaking people historically associated with the warrior class and administration, some of whom trace their origin to migration from

medieval India Medieval India was a long period of post-classical history in the Indian subcontinent between the ancient and modern periods. It is usually regarded as running approximately from the break-up of the Gupta Empire in the 6th century to the star ...

. Chhetri was a

caste A caste is a Essentialism, fixed social group into which an individual is born within a particular system of social stratification: a caste system. Within such a system, individuals are expected to marry exclusively within the same caste (en ...

of administrators, governors,

warriors A warrior is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have been p ...

and military elites in the medieval Khas Kingdom and Gorkha Kingdom (later unified

Kingdom of Nepal The Kingdom of Nepal was a Hindu monarchy in South Asia, founded in 1768 through the unification of Nepal, expansion of the Gorkha Kingdom. The kingdom was also known as the Gorkha Empire and was sometimes called History of Asal Hindustan, ...

). 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 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) (; or ) was a Chhetri political family with ancestral roots from Gorkha Kingdom that directly ruled Nepali administration affairs from the 16th century to 19th century as ...

, the

Basnyat dynasty Basnyat/Basnet family or Basnyat/Basnet dynasty () was a Khas-Chhetri and a warlord clan family involved in the politics and administration of the Gorkha Kingdom and Kingdom of Nepal. This family got entry into Thar Ghar aristocracy group of ...

, the

Kunwar family The Kunwar family () was a noble Khas-Chhetri family in the Gorkha Kingdom and the Kingdom of Nepal. The Kunwars were linked to the Thapa dynasty and family of Amar Singh Thapa by marital lineages and, thus, to Pande dynasty through the Thapa ...

(and their offspring branch, the autocratic Rana dynasty) and the

Thapa dynasty Thapa dynasty or Thapa noble family ( ) also known as Dynasty of Borlang was a Chhetri political family that handled Nepali administration affairs from 1806 to 1837 A.D. and 1843 to 1845 A.D. as Mukhtiyar (Prime Minister). This was one ...

. From 1806 to 1951, Chhetri prime ministers wielded absolute rule in the country and the monarchy was reduced to a powerless figurehead. Khas Chhetris were traditionally considered a division of the Khas people with

Khas Brahmin Bahun (), also known as Hill Brahmins, are a Brahmin varna among the Khas of Nepal. They are a sub-caste of the Kanyakubja Brahmin while their origins are from Kannauj and the Himalayan belt of South Asia. According to the 2011 Nepal census, ...

(commonly called Khas Bahun). They make up 16.45% of Nepal's population according to the

2021 Nepal census The 2021 Nepal Census was the twelfth nationwide census of Nepal conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics. The census was originally scheduled from 8 June to 22 June 2021, but was postponed to November 2021 due to a surge in COVID-19 case ...

, making them the most populous caste or ethnic community in Nepal. Chhetris speak an Indo-Aryan

Nepali language Nepali (; , ), or ''Gorkhali'' is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language native to the Himalayas region of South Asia. It is the official and most widely spoken Languages of Nepal, language of Nepal, where it also serves as a ''lingua fr ...

('' Khas-Kura'') as mother tongue.

Etymology and background

Chhetri is considered a direct derivative of the Sanskrit word ''

Kshatriya Kshatriya () (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority"; also called Rajanya) is one of the four varnas (social orders) of Hindu society and is associated with the warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the con ...

'' from the root ''kṣatra'' meaning "rule or authority" which was associated with the ruling and warrior class of

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

society. According to the 1854 Legal Code (''Muluki Ain'') of Nepal, Chhetris were a social group among the sacred thread bearers (

Tagadhari ''Tagadhari'' () are members of a Nepalis, Nepalese Hindu group that is perceived as historically having a high socio-religious status in society. Tagadhari are identified by a ''sacred thread'' (Janai) around the torso, which is used for ritual ...

) and '' twice-born people'' of the

tradition. Almost all Chhetris are Hindu. The term 'Chhetri' was adopted by a lot of the high-ranking

Khas Khas peoples or Khas Tribes, (; ) popularly known as Khashiya are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, in what is now the South Asian country of Nepal, as well as the Indian stat ...

after the

unification of Nepal The unification of Nepal () was the process of building the modern Nepalese state, by invading fractured Malla kingdoms including the Baise Rajya's 22 kingdoms and the Chaubisi Rajya's 24 kingdoms. It began in 1743 CE (1799 BS), by Prithvi N ...

, and it was formalized by an order of Bir Narsingh Kunwar(Jang Bahadur Rana), who considered their original name (Khasa) to be derogatory.

The family occupation of Chhetris

The caste system of Nepal was decided according to the occupation they did from the ancestors of their family, known as

Dharma Dharma (; , ) is a key concept in various Indian religions. The term ''dharma'' does not have a single, clear Untranslatability, translation and conveys a multifaceted idea. Etymologically, it comes from the Sanskrit ''dhr-'', meaning ''to hold ...

(

Devanagari Devanagari ( ; in script: , , ) is an Indic script used in the Indian subcontinent. It is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental Writing systems#Segmental systems: alphabets, writing system), based on the ancient ''Brāhmī script, Brā ...

:धर्म). The family occupation of Brahmin was ''

Guru Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...

'' or the spiritual leader in

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

whereas that of Chhetri was

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

and political leaders. Hence, the majority of military and political positions have been historically occupied by Chhetris until now.

History

They are thought to be connected to the

Khasas Khasas (Sanskrit: 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 litera ...

mentioned in the ancient Indian literature and the medieval

Khasa kingdom Khasa-Malla kingdom (), popularly known as Khasa Kingdom () and Yatse () in Tibetan, was a medieval kingdom established around the 11th century in regions that are presently in far-western Nepal and parts of Uttarakhand state in India. The ...

. In the early modern history of Nepal, Chhetris played a key role in the

Unification of Nepal The unification of Nepal () was the process of building the modern Nepalese state, by invading fractured Malla kingdoms including the Baise Rajya's 22 kingdoms and the Chaubisi Rajya's 24 kingdoms. It began in 1743 CE (1799 BS), by Prithvi N ...

, providing the core of the Gorkhali army of the mid-18th century.

Bir Bhadra Thapa Bir Bhadra Thapa or Birabhadra Thapa () also spelled Virabhadra or Virbhadra, was a politician, courtier and military officer in the Gorkha Kingdom during the 18th century. Born in the medieval Tanahun Kingdom, he left his ancestral property ther ...

was a

Thapa Thapa (pronunciation: ̪ʰapa is a surname used by the Khas people, Khas Chhetri, Chhetris of Nepal. It is also used by the Magars, Magar people, a Tibeto-Burman languages, Tibeto-Burmese people. The Surname has origins in the military titles ...

of Chhetri group and leading Bharadar during

. His grandson

Bhimsen Thapa Bhimsen Thapa ( (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 List of Prime Ministers of Nepal, l ...

became Mukhtiyar (Prime Minister) of Nepal.

Swarup Singh Karki Swarup Singh Karki () or Swaroop Singh Karki, was a Nepali politician, courtier, military commander and minister. He was popular for his singing prowess and court conspiracies. He was selected as Dewan (prime minister) in the reign of King Prata ...

, a leading politician and military officer, belonged to Chhetri family.

Abhiman Singh Basnyat Abhiman Singh Basnet/Basnyat () was the first Commander-in-Chief of unified Nepal."Regmi Research Series" Author:Mahesh Chandra Regmi Abhiman Singh became the first Commander in Chief after General Kalu Pande died during his second attempt to ca ...

Damodar Pande Damodar Pande () (1752 – March 13, 1804) was the Mulkaji, Mulkaji of Nepal (equivalent to Prime Minister of Nepal) from 1803 until March 1804 and the most influential Kaji from 1794 to his execution on March 13, 1804. He is also arguably ref ...

were both members of Chhetri caste. and

Jung Bahadur Rana Jung Bahadur Rana, , was born Bir Narsingh Kunwar (1817-1877). His mother, Ganesh Kumari, was the daughter of Kaji Nain Singh Thapa, the brother of Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa from the prominent Thapa dynasty. During his lifetime, Jung Bahadur eli ...

, founder of Rana dynasty also belonged to the Chhetri community. For 104 years since the middle of the 19th century until 1951, hereditary Rana prime ministers wielded absolute rule in the country relegating the monarchy to a mere figurehead. During the monarchy, Chhetris continued to dominate the ranks of the Nepalese government,

Nepalese Army The Nepali Army (), also referred to as the Gorkhali Army (; see ''Gurkha, Gorkhas''), formally known as "Royal Nepal Army" is the Ground warfare, land Military branch, service branch of the Nepalese Armed Forces, Nepali Armed Forces. After t ...

, Nepalese Police and administration.

Chhetri noble families

The most prominent feature of Nepalese Chhetri society has been the Rana Prime Ministers (1846–1953), the

Pande family The Pande family or Pande dynasty (also spelled as Pandey or Panday) (; or ) was a Chhetri political family with ancestral roots from Gorkha Kingdom that directly ruled Nepali administration affairs from the 16th century to 19th century as ...

, the

Thapa family Thapa dynasty or Thapa noble family ( ) also known as Dynasty of Borlang was a Chhetri political family that handled Nepali administration affairs from 1806 to 1837 A.D. and 1843 to 1845 A.D. as Mukhtiyar (Prime Minister). This was one ...

, and the

Basnyat family Basnyat/Basnet family or Basnyat/Basnet dynasty () was a Khas-Chhetri and a warlord clan family involved in the politics and administration of the Gorkha Kingdom and Kingdom of Nepal. This family got entry into Thar Ghar aristocracy group of G ...

, all of whom held prominent positions in the Gorkha kingdom, and increased the Chhetri presence in the armed forces, police, and

Government of Nepal The Government of Nepal () is the central executive authority of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. The government is led by the Prime Minister of Nepal, prime minister (K. P. Sharma Oli, K.P. Oli since 15 July 2024) who selects all the o ...

. 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 the endonym Gorkhali ( Nepali: गोर्खाली ), are soldiers native to the Indian subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of North India. The Gurkha units consist of Nepali and ...

were mainly from Chhetri families and they had strong presence in civil administration affairs. All of the

Prime Minister of Nepal The prime minister of Nepal (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of government of Nepal. The prime minister leads the Council of Ministers of Nepal, Council of Ministers and holds the chief executive authority in the country. They must maintain ...

between 1768 and 1950 were Chhetris with the exception of Ranga Nath Poudyal, being a

Bahun Bahun (), also known as Hill Brahmins, are a Brahmin varna among the Khas of Nepal. They are a sub-caste of the Kanyakubja Brahmin while their origins are from Kannauj and the Himalayan belt of South Asia. According to the 2011 Nepal censu ...

, and Fateh Jung Shah, being a

Thakuri The Thakuri (Nepali: ठकुरी) . This term is Nepalese title ""Thakuri"", which translates to 'master of the estate'. The term denotes the royal descendants of kings of Baise Rajya and Chaubisi Rajya. During the height of their influence ...

. 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. Crown Princess Indra of Nepal

Military achievements

Chhetri had dominated high military positions and monopolized the military force at the times of Chhetri autocratic administrators like PM

and PM

. There were 12 Basnyats, 16 Pandes, 6

s and 3

Kunwar Kunwar (also spelt Kanwar , Kaur , Kuar or Kaurwar) for Rajput is an Indian Royal title denoting a prince. It is derived from the Sanskrit word Rajkumar. It was traditionally associated with the feudal Rajputs such as the son of a Rana, Babu an ...

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, the leader of Pande faction, was the

in 1841 A.D. which might have caused an increase in the number of Pande officers at 1841. After the rise Rana dynasty(Kunwars), the number changed to 10 Basnyats, 1 Pandes, 3

s and 26

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 38.1%, 54.3% and 55.3% of the senior officers in the year 2003, 2004 and 2007 respectively. Aishwarya 1972

Anglo-Nepalese War and Nepal-Tibet War Chhetri commanders and generals of the military campaigns of the kingdom of Nepal have shaped the political course of the country overwhelmingly.

Anglo-Nepalese War The Anglo-Nepalese War (1 November 1814 – 4 March 1816), also known as the Gorkha War or Nepal-Company War, was fought between the Gorkhali army of the Kingdom of Nepal (present-day Nepal) and the forces of the British East India Company ...

fought between the British forces and the army of

was commanded by

Amar Singh Thapa Amar Singh Thapa distinguished as Badakaji Amar Singh Thapa(), or Amar Singh Thapa The Elder, (also spelled Ambar Simha) also known by the honorific name Bada Kaji ("Senior Kaji") or Budha Kaji ("The Old Kaji"), was a Gorkha Kingdom, Gorkhali mil ...

Ujir Singh Thapa Ujir Singh Thapa or Uzir Singh Thapa (), also known as Wazir Simha Thapa, anglicized as Wuzeer Singh, was a Nepalese administrator and military officer. He was the son of Kaji Nain Singh Thapa, a nephew of the Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa and elder ...

, Ranabir Singh Thapa,

Dalbhanjan Pande Dalbhanjan Pande or Dalabhanjan Pande () was a Nepalese minister, politician and military officer of the aristocratic Pande family. He had held ministerial positions and military offices. He jointly headed the military administration of Nepal in ...

, Bakhtawar Singh Thapa and Ranajor Singh Thapa from 1814 to 1816 and led to a peace treaty with the British and maintained the independence of Nepal during the British Company rule and British Raj in South Asia from 18th to 20th century. Nepal–Tibet War (1855–1856), commanded by Bam Bahadur Kunwar, Sanak Singh Khatri, Prithvi Dhoj Kunwar, Dhir Sumsher and Krishna Dhoj Kunwar under the authority of

, resulted in the victory of Nepalese troops whereby the Tibetans had to pay an annual subsidy of ten thousand rupees to Nepal and were made to allow the establishment of a Nepalese trading station and agency in Lhasa.

Religion

Goddess Bhadrakali Worshipped by the Gods- from a tantric Devi series - Google Art Project

Almost all the Chhetris are

Hindus Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

, and form the largest Hindu adhering sub-group of Nepal representing 99.3% of their population, and those who are Hindus may also follow Buddhism;

the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist lege ...

being worshipped as the ninth

avatar Avatar (, ; ) is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means . It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearance" is sometimes u ...

of god

Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...

. Chhetris have historically practiced Hindu

polytheism Polytheism is the belief in or worship of more than one god. According to Oxford Reference, it is not easy to count gods, and so not always obvious whether an apparently polytheistic religion, such as Chinese folk religions, is really so, or whet ...

which included the worship of Khas Masto sect of

Shaivism Shaivism (, , ) is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Para Brahman, supreme being. It is the Hinduism#Demographics, second-largest Hindu sect after Vaishnavism, constituting about 385 million H ...

, clan deity (

Kuldevta A ''kuladevata'' (), also known as a ''kuladaivaṃ'' (), is an ancestral tutelary deity in Hinduism and Jainism. Such a deity is often the object of one's devotion (''bhakti''), and is coaxed to watch over one's clan (''kula''), gotra, family, ...

), their personal favorite deity (

Ishta-devata ''Ishtadeva'' or ''ishtadevata'' (Sanskrit: इष्ट देव(ता), , literally "cherished divinity" from ''iṣṭa'', "personal, liked, cherished, preferred" and '' devatā'', "godhead, divinity, tutelary deity" or ''deva'', "deity" ...

''),'' fierce forms of

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

(such as

Virabhadra Virabhadra (), also rendered Veerabhadra, Veerabathira, and Veerabathiran, is a fierce form of the Hindu god Shiva. He is created by the wrath of Shiva, when the deity hurls a lock of his matted hair upon the ground, upon hearing of the self- ...

and

Rudra Rudra (/ ɾud̪ɾə/; ) is a Rigvedic deity associated with Shiva, the wind or storms, Vayu, medicine, and the hunt. One translation of the name is 'the roarer'. In the ''Rigveda'', Rudra is praised as the "mightiest of the mighty". Rudra ...

) and goddesses such as

Adi Shakti Mahadevi (, , IPA: / mɐɦɑd̪eʋiː/), also referred to as Adi Parashakti, and Mahamaya, is the supreme goddess in Hinduism. According to the goddess-centric sect Shaktism, all Hindu gods and goddesses are considered to be manifestations of t ...

Kali Kali (; , ), also called Kalika, is a major goddess in Hinduism, primarily associated with time, death and destruction. Kali is also connected with transcendental knowledge and is the first of the ten Mahavidyas, a group of goddesses who p ...

and

Bhadrakali Bhadrakali (IAST: Bhadrakālī; ) is an important goddess, mainly worshiped by Hindus, and is a form of Kali. She is considered to be the auspicious and fortunate form of Adi Shakti or Durga, the supreme mother who protects the good, known ...

. Owing to the extensively large number of Chhetri generals and commander-in-chiefs in the

(formerly known as Gorkha Army), goddess

, an auspicious form of

, was the patron deity of the army and her worship was necessary before and during wars. The war cry, "''Jay Mahakali, Ayo Gurkhali'' ''"'' meaning "''Hail Great Goddess Kali, here come the Gurkhas!",'' invoked the sense of protection from Goddess Kali during battles and today is the war slogan of the

as well as Gurkha regiment of the

Indian Army The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...

and the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

Families & surnames

Surnames of Chhetris include, among others: * Adhikari/Raya, Thami, Khulal, Khapatari, & Thada * Baniya * Basnet * Bisht *

Bhandari Bhandari or Bhandary is a surname found in various Hindu castes and communities in India and Nepal. Bhandari means ''treasurer'', keeper of a storehouse. In Punjab, Bhandaris belong to Ahluwalia and Khatri castes. In Nepal, the surname is used ...

/(Raghubansi) *

Bohra Bohra or Bora may refer to: Groups of people * Bohras, several groups in Tayyibi Isma'ilism *Alavi Bohras, a Tayyibi Isma'ili community in Gujarat, India *Dawoodi Bohra, a religious denomination within the Ismā'īlī branch of Shia Islam *Sulaym ...

* Burathoki * Chauhan * Gharti * Karki *

Khadka Khadka (), anciently called as Khaḍka (), is a surname of Khas/Chhetri caste. Khadga was an ancient ''Paikelā'' (warrior) rank along with '' Thāpā'', ''Rānā'' and ''Buḍhā chhetri''. Khadka is also a surname of Magar caste which is sub- ...

Khatri Khatri () is a caste system in India, caste originating from the Malwa (Punjab), Malwa and Majha areas of Punjab region of South Asia that is predominantly found in India, but also in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Khatris claim they are war ...

Khulal Chhetri (Kshetri, Kshettri, Kshetry or Chhettri), ( ; IAST: ''Kṣetrī'') historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are Nepali speaking people historically associated with the warrior class and administration, some of whom trace thei ...

* Mahara * Negi * Pande/पाँडे/पाडे (not to be mistaken with Brahmin Pandeya) *

Rana Rana may refer to: Astronomy * Rana (crater), a crater on Mars * Delta Eridani or Rana, a star Films * Rana (2012 film), an Indian Kannada-language action drama * Rana, a 1998 Telugu-language action film directed by A. Kodandarami Reddy * R ...

* Raut *

Rawal Rawal may refer to: Places * Rawal, Uttar Pradesh, India * Rawal, Kapurthala, India * Rawal lake, in Pakistan Other uses * Rawal (caste), an Indian community from Rajasthan and Gujarat * Rawal (name), including a list of people with the nam ...

* Rawat * Rayamajhi * Rokka *

Demographics

The Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal classifies Chhetris as a subgroup within the broader social group of Khas Arya (together with

and Sanyasi/Dasnami). The 2021 census recorded Chhetri population of Nepal as the largest community with a population of 4,796,995 (16.4% of Nepal). Previously, the 2011 Nepal census showed Chhetris as the largest

adherents in the nation with 4,365,113 people which was 99.3% of total Chhetri population. In Nepal's hill districts the Chhetri population rises to 41% compared to 31%

Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

and 27% other castes. This greatly exceeds the Kshatriya portion in most regions with predominantly Hindu populations. As per 2021 census, Chhetris are largest caste group in 27

districts of Nepal Districts in Nepal are second level of administrative divisions after provinces. Districts are subdivided into municipalities and rural municipalities. There are seven provinces and 77 districts in Nepal. After the 2015 reform of administrat ...

, increase from 21 districts of

2001 Nepal census The 2001 Nepal census () was conducted by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics.National Report 2001 -> Introduction Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics According to the census, the population of Nepal in 2001 was 23,151,423. Working with Nepal's ...

and 24 districts of

2011 Nepal census Nepal conducted a widespread national census in 2011 by the Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics. Working in cooperation with the 58 municipalities and the 3,915 Village Development Committees at a district level, they recorded data from all the m ...

.National Census of Nepal 2021. Government of Nepal, National Statistics Office. (Report: available at https://censusnepal.cbs.gov.np/results/files/result-folder/Caste%20Ethnicity_report_NPHC_2021.pdf ) These twenty seven districts are - Sankhuwasabha district,

Okhaldhunga district Okhaldhunga District () is one of 14 districts of Koshi Province in eastern Nepal. The district, with the municipality of Okhaldhunga as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population of 156,702 in 2001 and 147,984 in 2011.

, Dhankuta district, Morang district,

Udayapur district Udayapur District (, is one of the 14 districts of Koshi Province in eastern Nepal. The district, with Triyuga as its district headquarters, covers an area of and in 2001 had a population of 287,689, in 2011 of 317,532, in 2021 of 342,773 Rive ...

Dolakha district Dolakha, often known as Dolkha or Dholkha (Nepal Bhasa:दोलखा जिल्ला)), a part of Bagmati Province, is one of the List of districts of Nepal, seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Charikot as its district headqu ...

Ramechhap district Ramechhap District (), a part of Bagmati Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, also known as Wallo Kirat Ramechhap, has its district headquarters in Manthali and covers an area of . In 2011, the district had a ...

Gulmi district Gulmi District (), a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Tamghas as its headquarters, covers an area of , had a population of 296,654 in 2001, 280,160 in 2011 and 268,597 in 2016. Intro ...

, Dang district, Salyan district,

Western Rukum district Western Rukum ( ) a part of Karnali Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. Musikot is the headquarter of the district. Formally Western Rukum District was part of Rukum District, which divided into two districts Western Ruk ...

Surkhet district Surkhet District (, ) is a district in Karnali Province of mid-western Nepal. Surkhet is one of the ten districts of Karnali located about west of the national capital Kathmandu. The district's area is . It had 288,527 population in 2001 and 350 ...

Dailekh district Dailekh District ( ) 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 261,770 in 2011. Etymology It is said ...

Jajarkot district Jajarkot District () 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 171,304 in 2011 Nepal census. Introduction J ...

Dolpa district Dolpa District (), 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 headquarters, covers an area of and has a p ...

Jumla district Jumla District (), is one of the ten districts of Nepal, districts of the Karnali Province, Karnali province of Nepal. This district has Jumla (town), Jumla as its headquarters, an area of ; it had populations of 89,427 and 108,921, respectivel ...

Mugu district Mugu District ( ), 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. Mugu is known for being both the ...

Humla district Humla District (), 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 as per the census of 2011. Namkha is the larg ...

Bajura district Bajura District ( ), 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, covers an area of and had a population of 1 ...

, Bajhang district, Achham district,

Doti district Doti District ( ), part of Sudurpashchim Province, is one of the 77 List of districts of Nepal, districts of Nepal. This district, with Dipayal Silgadhi, Silgadhi as its headquarters, covers an area of with a population of 207,066 in 2001 and in ...

, Dadeldhura district,

Baitadi district Baitadi District ( ), 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 headquarters, covers an area of and has ...

, Darchula district, Kalikot district, and

Kanchanpur district Kanchanpur District ( ), 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 of and had a population of 134,868 in 2001 and ...

. The district with the largest Chhetri population is

Kathmandu district Kathmandu District (; Nepal Bhasa: ये: जिल्ला) is a district located in Kathmandu Valley, Bagmati Province of Nepal. It is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal, covers an area of , and is the most densely populated dist ...

with 424,172 (i.e. 20.7% of the total district population). Chhetris form the second largest demographic group after

Newars Newar (; , endonym: Newa; , Pracalit script: ), or Nepami, are primarily inhabitants in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and its surrounding areas, and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisation. Page 15. Newars are a distinct linguisti ...

in the

Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley (), also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley (, Newar language, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः), National Capital Area, is a bowl-shaped valley located in the Himalayas, Hima ...

, together with Lalitpur (Patan) and

Bhaktapur Bhaktapur (Nepali language, Nepali and Sanskrit: भक्तपुर, ; "City of Devotees"), known locally as Khwopa (Nepal Bhasa: , ) and historically called Bhadgaon, is a city in the east corner of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal located abou ...

, with a population of 621,346. Other districts with more than 150,000 Chhetri population are

Kailali Kailali District (), a part of Sudurpashchim Province in Terai plain, is one of the 77 districts of Nepal. The district, with Dhangadhi as its district headquarters, covers an area of and has a population of 911,155 (2021 census) and (775,709 in ...

, Kanchanpur, Dang,

Jhapa Jhapa District (; ) is a district of Koshi Province in eastern Nepal named after a Rajbanshi Surjapuri language word "Jhapa", meaning "to cover" (verb). The 2021 Nepal Census, puts the total population of the district at 994,090. The total a ...

and Morang. Province wise, Chhetris are majority demography in

Koshi Province Koshi Province () is an autonomous Provinces of Nepal, province of Nepal adopted by the Constitution of Nepal on 20 September 2015. It covers an area of , about 17.5% of the country's total area. With the industrial city of Biratnagar as its cap ...

Karnali Province Karnali Province () is one of the seven federal provinces of Nepal formed by the new constitution, which was adopted on 20 September 2015. The total area of the province is , making it the largest province in Nepal with 18.97% of the country's ...

and

Sudurpashchim Province Sudurpashchim Province () is one of the seven Provinces of Nepal, provinces established by the Constitution of Nepal, new constitution of Nepal which was adopted on 20 September 2015. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north, ...

. The frequency of Chhetris by province is shown in the table: 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 (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

(33.3%) and Chhetris (20.01%) were the two largest caste groups 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. The frequency of Chhetris was higher than national average (16.4%) in the following districts: * Bajhang (69%) *

Darchula Khalanga is a town and the district headquarters of the Darchula District in the Sudurpashchim Province of Nepal. It is part of the Mahakali Municipality in the Mahakali Zone. The town is located on the bank of Mahakali River and the border w ...

(65.3%) * Jumla (60.2%) *

Doti Doti (), also known as Dotigarh (डोटीगढ़) or the Far-Western Development Region was a development region of Nepal situated between River Kali bordering Kumaon division of Uttarakhand, India in the west and the Karnali river on t ...

(59.9%) *

Bajura Bajura District ( ), 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, covers an area of and had a population o ...

(59.5%) * Salyan (59%) * Achham (54.6%) * Dadeldhura (53.7%) * Western Rukum (53.1%) * Baitadi (53%) * Mugu (50.5%) *

Dolpa Dolpa District (), 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 headquarters, covers an area of and has a po ...

(47.4%) *

Jajarkot Jajarkot District () 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 171,304 in 2011 Nepal census. Introduction Ja ...

(39.3%) * Humla (36.6%) *

Dailekh Dailekh (), locally known as Dailekh Bazar Narayan is a town and the headquarters of Dailekh District located in Karnali Province of Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia ...

(35.3%) * Rolpa (35.2%) * Surkhet (31.7%) * Dolakha (31.2%) * Kanchanpur (30.9%) * Kalikot (29.6%) * Dang (26.6%) *

Ramechhap Ramechhap Municipality is a municipality in Ramechhap District in Bagmati Province of Nepal. It was established on 2 December 2014 by merging the former village development committees Old-Ramechhap, Okhreni and Sukajor. At the time of the 2011 ...

(26%) * Pyuthan (25.6%) *

(23.8%) *

Gulmi Gulmi District (), a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Tamghas as its headquarters, covers an area of , had a population of 296,654 in 2001, 280,160 in 2011 and 268,597 in 2016. Introd ...

(22.8%) *

(21.9%) * Udayapur (21.5%) *

Okhaldhunga Okhaldhunga is the headquarters of the Okhaldhunga District in the Sagarmatha Zone of Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 3761 living in 790 individual households. Climate Media To promote local culture Okhal ...

(21%) * Eastern Rukum (20.1%) *

Dhankuta Dhankuta ( ) is a hill town and the headquarters of Dhankuta District in Koshi Province in Eastern Nepal. According to 2011 Nepal census, it has population of 26,440 inhabitants. History Until about 1963, Dhankuta Bazaar (the town) was the ...

(19.9%) *

Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...

(19.8%) * Tehrathum (19.4%) * Khotang (19.1%) * Bhojpur (17.7%) * Sankhuwasabha (17.3%) * Lalitpur (18.6%) *

Arghakhanchi Arghakhanchi ( ) is one of the districts of Lumbini Province in Nepal. The district headquarter is Sandhikharka. The district covers an area of and has a population (2011) of 197,632. Its neighboring districts are Palpa District, Palpa in the ea ...

(18.1%) *

Baglung Baglung is a Municipalities of Nepal, municipality in Gandaki Province, in western Nepal, west of Kathmandu. It is the administrative headquarters of Baglung District. Baglung serves as the major center for business, finance, education, servic ...

(18.1%) *

Myagdi Myagdi District ( ), a part of Gandaki Province, is one of the List of districts of Nepal, seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Beni, Dhawalagiri, Beni as its district headquarters, covers an area of , had a population of 114,447 ...

(17.5%) * Parbat (17.4%) * Sindhupalchowk (16.9%) *

(16.8%)

Present day

Chhetri together with

and

fall under Khas Arya, who are denied

quota Quota may refer to: Economics * Import quota, a restriction on the quantity of goods that can be imported into a country * Market Sharing Quota, an economic system used in Canadian agriculture * Milk quota, a quota on milk production in Europe * ...

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 peoples or Khas Tribes, (; ) popularly known as Khashiya are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, in what is now the South Asian country of Nepal, as well as the Indian stat ...

who fall under ''Bahun-Chhetri-thakuri'' hierarchy. As per the explanation of legal provisions of

Constitution of Nepal The Constitution of Nepal () is the present governing Constitution of Nepal. Nepal is governed according to the Constitution which came into effect on 20 September 2015, replacing the Interim Constitution of 2007. The constitution of Nepal is di ...

, 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 union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

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

and

Queen Tripurasundari of Nepal Tripurasundari (; 1794 – 6 April 1832), also known as Lalit Tripura Sundari Devi, was a queen consort of Nepal by marriage to King Rana Bahadur Shah of Nepal. Widowed at a very young age and childless, she served as regent of the kingdom for a ...

and

and Rana dynasty * Amar Singh Thapa (sanu) * Queen Subarna Prabha Devi *

* Gagan Singh Bhandari *

Mohan Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana Field-Marshal Shree Maharaja Sir Mohan Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana (), GCB, GCIE, GBE (23 December 1885 – 6 January 1967) was the prime minister and foreign minister of Nepal from 30 April 1948 until 12 November 1951. He was the last prime ...

* Sher Bahadur Thapa *

Subarna Shamsher Rana Subarna Shamsher Rana () (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 leaders of the Nepali Congress in the late 1940s, oppos ...

Surya Bahadur Thapa Surya Bahadur Thapa (; March 21, 1928 – April 15, 2015) was a Nepali politician and a five-time Prime Minister of Nepal. He served under three different kings in a political career lasting more than 50 years. Thapa was selected as a member of ...

Sunil Chhetri Sunil Chhetri (, born 3 August 1984) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Indian Super League club Bengaluru and captains the India national team. He is the all-time top scorer in Indian Super League history. He is ...

, Indian football player *

Sher Bahadur Deuba Sher Bahadur Deuba (, ; born 13 June 1946, Ashigram, Kingdom of Nepal) is a Nepali politician and former prime minister of Nepal. He has also been serving as the president of the Nepali Congress since 2016. Deuba has served five terms as prime ...

Etymology and background

The family occupation of Chhetris

History

Chhetri noble families

Chhetri and premiership

Military achievements

Religion

Families & surnames

Demographics

Present day

Notable people

See also

References

Footnotes

Citations

Sources

Further reading