Mahendra () is a

Sanskrit compound Sanskrit inherits from its parent, the Proto-Indo-European language, the capability of forming compound nouns, also widely seen in kindred languages, especially German, Greek, and English. However, Sanskrit, especially in the later stages of ...

word deriving from ''mahā'' (great) and ''

indra Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes Indra is the m ...

'' (the title of the king of the devas) from Hinduism. It has been used in compound royal styles.

History and politics

Royalty

* Mahendra or Mahinda – the son of Emperor Ashoka and a promoter of Buddhism * Mahendravarman I – (Tamil: மகேந்திரவர்மன் 600–630 CE), Pallava king who ruled the Northern regions of what forms present-day Tamil Nadu in India in the early 7th century. * Mahindu, 10th century Chahamana king of north-western India * Mahendra of Nepal – king of Nepal from 1955 to 1972

Elected office

Mahinda Rajapaksa Mahinda Rajapaksa (; ; born Percy Mahendra Rajapaksa; 18 November 1945) is a Sri Lankan politician. He served as the sixth President of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015; the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 2004 to 2005, 2018, and 2019 to 2022; the ...

– President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015 * Mahendra Chaudhry – Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party * Upul Mahendra (born 1971), Sri Lankan politician

Entertainment

Film

Balu Mahendra Balanathan Benjamin Mahendran (20 May 1939 13 February 2014), commonly known as Balu Mahendra, was a Sri Lankan Tamil cinematographer, director, screenwriter and film editor who worked in various Indian film industries, primarily in Tamil ...

– director of Tamil films * Y. G. Mahendra – an Indian actor, singer playwright and comedian

Music

Mahendra Kapoor Mahendra Kapoor (9 January 1934 – 27 September 2008) was an Indian playback singer. In a long career spanning decades, his repertoire included popular songs such as ''Chalo ekbaar phir se Ajnabi ban jayen hum dono'' ( Gumrah) and ''Neele Gagan ...

– Bollywood singer

Sports

* Mahendra Singh Dhoni – Indian cricketer, former Captain of Indian Cricket Team * Mahendra Nagamootoo – West Indian cricketer

Business

* Mahendra Kumar * Mahendra Mehta

References

{{Reflist Indian masculine given names Masculine given names