Kaul (also spelled Koul; ) is a Kashmiri surname that is used by the

Kashmiri Pandit The Kashmiri Pandits (also known as Kashmiri Brahmins) are a group of Kashmiri Hindus and a part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community of India. They belong to the Pancha Gauda Brahmin group from the Kashmir Valley, located within the In ...

community in India., ''...looms rose to 24,000 by 1813. Despite the religious oppression that many hindus were subjected , they were however, useful to the Afghans because of their administrative experience. Kashmiri Pandits were not prevented into entering into government service & there were some families whose names consistently appear in public service - the Dhars, Kauls, Tikkus & Saprus.'' The word ''Koul'', meaning ''well born'', is derived from ''Kula'', the

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

term for family or clan.

Origins

There are several theories regarding the origins of Kaul as a surname.

Koul from Mahakoul

One says that it is associated with the word ''Mahakaul'' (), an

epithet An epithet (, ), also a byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) commonly accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a real or fictitious person, place, or thing. It is usually literally descriptive, as in Alfred the Great, Suleima ...

for

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 ...

. ''Shiva'' followers were thus called '' Kauḷa''. Koul therefore means a devotee of Shiva.

Koul/Kaul from Shakta worship

Another states that since the Saraswat Brahmins of Kashmira were believers in

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 ...

and

Shakta Shaktism () is a major Hindu denomination in which the deity or metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically to be a woman. Shaktism involves a galaxy of goddesses, all regarded as different aspects, manifestations, or personificatio ...

, the peak of Shaivism in Kashmir around the 9th–12th century gave rise to use of the name. This has led many scholars to believe that almost all

Kashmiri Pandits The Kashmiri Pandits (also known as Kashmiri Brahmins) are a group of Kashmiri Hindus and a part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community of India. They belong to the Pancha-Gauda, Pancha Gauda Brahmin group from the Kashmir Valley, located w ...

were Kauls/Kouls and they were later subdivided into different nicknames, then with the passage of time these nicknames became surnames. In recent years the use of the nicknames is being progressively discarded and the surname ''Kaul/Koul'' is being adopted by almost all such people. The word ''Kaul/Koul'' is associated with being an '' Aghoreshwar'' (). The '' Sādhakas'' () of the ''

Tantra Tantra (; ) is an esoteric yogic tradition that developed on the India, Indian subcontinent beginning in the middle of the 1st millennium CE, first within Shaivism and later in Buddhism. The term ''tantra'', in the Greater India, Indian tr ...

'', associated with ''

Shakti Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; 'energy, ability, strength, effort, power, might, capability') in Hinduism, is the "Universal Power" that underlies and sustains all existence. Conceived as feminine in essence, Shakti refer ...

'' worship, are believed to reach the top of the spiritual ladder, and thus become a ''Kaul/Koul''.

Notable people with Kaul surname

Anita Kaul Anita Kaul (Given name#Name at birth, née Kripalani; 19 September 1954 – 10 October 2016) was an Indian Administrative Service officer best known for her contributions to the Indian education sector. She was a defining voice of the Right to ...

(1954–2016),

Indian Administrative Service The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the Public administration, administrative arm of the All India Services of Government of India. The IAS is one of the three All India Services along with the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the Indian ...

officer *

Bansi Kaul Bansi Kaul (23 August 1949 – 6 February 2021) was an Indian theatre director and the founder of Rang Vidushak, a theatre group in Bhopal. He was a recipient of the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honor, in 2014, and the Sangeet Nat ...

(born 1949), Indian writer and theatre director *

Bharat Kaul Bharat Kaul is an Indian actor mainly known for villainous and antagonistic roles in Bengali films. He has also appeared in Hindi films. He is a Vice President of the "West Bengal Motion Picture Artists' Forum" along with Sabyasachi Chakrabar ...

, Bengali actor *

Brij Mohan Kaul Brij Mohan Kaul (1912–1972) was a Lieutenant General in the Indian Army. He served as the Chief of General Staff during 1961–1962 and was regarded as a key architect of Indian military response to the Chinese challenge. In October 1962, ...

(1912–1972), commanded the Indian forces in the

Sino-Indian War The Sino–Indian War, also known as the China–India War or the Indo–China War, was an armed conflict between China and India that took place from October to November 1962. It was a military escalation of the Sino–Indian border dispu ...

Ekta Kaul Ekta Kaul (born 16 May 1990) is an Indian actress who mainly works in Hindi television. She is best known for her portrayal of Sahiba Agarwal in '' Rab Se Sohna Isshq'', Dr. Suhani Malhotra in '' Bade Acche Lagte Hain'' and Riya Mathur in '' Me ...

(born 1987), Indian television actress *

Hari Kishan Kaul Rai Bahadur Hari Kishan Kaul (1869 – 25 January 1942''The Indian Review'', 1942, vol. 43: obituary) was an Indian administrator from Punjab who, among other positions, briefly served as the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 1931 to 193 ...

(1869–1942), Kashmiri politician and author *

Josh Kaul Joshua Lautenschlager Kaul (born February 2, 1981) is an American lawyer, politician and member of the Democratic Party who has served as the 45th Attorney General of Wisconsin since January 2019. Early life and education Kaul is the son of ...

(born 1980), 45th Attorney General of Wisconsin *

Kailas Nath Kaul Kailas Nath Kaul (1905–1983) was an Indian botanist, naturalist, agricultural scientist, horticulturist, herbalist, plant collector and herpetologist, and a world authority on Arecaceae. He founded India's National Botanical Research Institu ...

(1905–1983), Indian botanist and agricultural scientist, brother of

Kamala Kamala may refer to: People and fictional characters * Kamala (name) — lists people and characters with the surname or given name ** Kamala Harris, 49th Vice President of the United States and 2024 Democratic Party presidential nominee * Kamala ...

* Kamala Kaul Nehru (1899–1936), Indian freedom fighter and wife of first Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru *

Kanchi Kaul Kanchi Kaul (born 24 May 1982) is an Indian actress who predominantly appeared in Telugu films and Hindi television shows. She is best known for playing Ananya "Anu" Sachdev Samarth in '' Ek Ladki Anjaani Si '', Suhana Seth Thakral in '' Bhab ...

(born 1982), Indian TV actress and model * Krishna Kaul (born 1989), Indian rapper, known as KR$NA, and formerly as Prozpekt * Mahendra Kaul (1922–2018), British BBC broadcaster and television presenter *

Manav Kaul Manav Kaul (born 19 December 1976) is an Indian theatre director, playwright, author, actor and filmmaker. He was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the films ''Tumhari Sulu'' (2017) and '' Saina'' (2021) ...

(born 1986), Indian theatre director, playwright, actor and film-maker *

Mani Kaul Mani Kaul (25 December 1944 – 6 July 2011) was an Indian director of Hindi films and a figure in Indian parallel cinema. He graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) where he was a student of Ritwik Ghatak and later be ...

(1944–2011), Indian film director * Manohar Kaul (1925–1999), Indian painter * Matthias Kaul (1949–2020), German musician * Niklas Kaul (born 1998), German athlete specializing in the decathlon * P. K. Kaul (1929–2007), ambassador of India to the United States (1986–1989) * Raj Kaul, Nehru family patriarch * Robert H. Kaul (1911–2000), Associate Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court *

Sheila Kaul Sheila Kaul (7 February 1915 – 13 June 2015) was a social democratic leader of the Indian National Congress, a politician, cabinet minister and governor, and the oldest living former member of parliament in India at the time of her death. Sh ...

(1915–2015), Indian politician, cabinet minister *

Siddarth Kaul Siddarth Kaul (born 19 May 1990), also spelled Siddharth Kaul, is an Indian former professional cricketer. A fast bowler who bowls at about 130 km/h, he made his first-class debut for Punjab in 2007. Kaul was a part of the victorious India Un ...

(born 1990), Indian cricketer, medium pace bowler * S. K. Kaul (born 1934), Air Chief Marshal of the Indian Air Force, Chief of Air Staff (India) (1993–1995) * Sanjay Kaul (born 1962), Indian businessman and founder of the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies* Sanjay Kishan Kaul (born 1958), Judge, Supreme Court of India and former lawyer *

Triloki Nath Kaul Triloki Nath Kaul (1913 – January 16, 2000) was one of India's foremost diplomats in the 20th century. A member of the Indian Civil Service (ICS), he served in the foreign service branch, culminating in his being appointed Foreign Secretary tw ...

(1913–2000), Indian diplomat, Indian Foreign Secretary (1967–1972) * V. N. Kaul (born 1943), Indian civil servant, Comptroller and Auditor General (2002–2008)

Notable people with Koul surname

* Anil Koul (born 1972), Indian pharmacologist * Omkar Nath Koul (1941–2018), Indian linguist *

Scaachi Koul Scaachi Koul (born February 7, 1991) is a Canadian former culture writer at BuzzFeed Canada. She is the author of the book of essays ''One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter'' and was one of the reporters in BuzzFeed's Netflix d ...

(born 1991), Canadian journalist and writer * Shadi Lal Koul (1954–2020), Kashmiri actor

References