Mantri is a word of

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 ...

origin (meaning sage, i.e. the "person who thinks and says" in that language, cf.

Mantra A mantra ( ; Pali: ''mantra'') or mantram (Devanagari: मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words (most often in an Indo-Iranian language like Sanskrit or Avestan) belie ...

), and it is used for a variety of public offices, from fairly humble to ministerial in rank. The term was used in various Asian cultures and eventually was used by early European traders. The term also forms part of a number of compounds. It is the root of the English word

mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...

, for a bureaucrat of the Chinese empire (though the word was never used by the Chinese themselves).

South Asia

Bangladesh

*Montri is used synonymously with Minister in Bengali language. *Prodhanmontri: Prime Minister *Montri: Minister *Protimontri: Minister of state *Upomontri: Deputy minister *Montri-Shobha: Cabinet *Montri-Porishod: Council of Ministers

India

*The word Mantri is often used to mean 'Minister' in Hindi as well as in many other Indian languages, several variations such as Mukhyamantri (chief minister) and Pradhanmantri (prime minister) are also used. *In Satara, where the

Peshwa The Peshwa was the second highest office in the Maratha Empire, next in rank and prestige only to that of the Chhatrapati. Initially serving as the appointed prime minister in the Maratha Kingdom, the office became hereditary when Shahu gave t ...

(formally First Minister) took over political power from the nominal Monarch: Mantri was used as synonymous Sanskrit version of Waqnis (Fourth Minister) *In Coastal Maharashtra Mantri surname is used by Somvanshi Kshatriya Pathare Community residing in coastal region of Maharashtra. *Mantri is a surname used by Maheshwari caste, part of Marwadi community. *Mantri is a surname used by

Yadav Yadavs are a grouping of non-elite, peasant-pastoral Quote: "The Yadavs were traditionally a low-to-middle-ranking cluster of pastoral-peasant castes that have become a significant political force in Uttar Pradesh (and other northern states l ...

People in North Districts of Tamil Nadu. *Mantri is a surname used by Niyogi Brahmins in Andhra Pradesh. *Mantri is also the brand name of a real estate company based in Bangalore, founded by Sushil Mantri. *Mantri is a surname used by Bardeskar Gaud Saraswat Brahmin community in Goa. Mantri are Mhajan of Shree Shantadurga Temple Kavlem and Vetal Maharudra Sansthan Shirodwadi Mulgao Goa. * Mantri is also a surname used by Deshastha Brahmins in Maharashtra

Nepal

*Mantri: Minister of State *Pradhan Mantri: Prime Minister (compare Pradhan)

South East Asia

Brunei

Mentri (or Mantri): ministerial rank below

vizier A vizier (; ; ) is a high-ranking political advisor or Minister (government), minister in the Near East. The Abbasids, Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was at first merely a help ...

Cambodia

*/nieyʊək roat~roattʰaʔ mʊəntrəy/ (នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី; nāyaka raṭṭha mantrī): Prime Minister */ʔuʔpaʔnieyɔǝk roat~roattʰaʔ mʊəntrəy/ (ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី; upanāyaka raṭṭha mantrī): Deputy Prime Minister */roattʰaʔmʊəntrəy/ (រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី; raṭṭha mantrī): Minister */keaʔnaʔroattʰaʔmʊəntrəy/(គណៈរដ្ឋមន្ត្រី; gaṇa raṭṭha mantrī): Council of Ministers */mʊəntrəy/ (មន្ត្រី, mantrī): official, minister, counsellor

Indonesia

* Mantri, in the form of Menteri is a Sanskrit loanword that describes ministers of the government. Perdana Menteri (corresponding exactly to Pradhan Mantri) is used to describe

prime ministers A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but rat ...

(as Indonesia is a presidential country, it is mainly used to describe prime ministers of other countries adopting the parliamentary system). *in Buleleng Mantri occurred (rank unclear) *in Deli the title of ''Tengku Perdana Mantri'' was created 1 February 1923 for Tengku Harun al-Rashid ibni al-Marhum Sultan Ma'amun al-Rashid Perkasa 'Alam Shah, eldest brother of the Crown Prince (Sultan the next year) and Wakil of Bedagai 1932 *in Kutai, Perdana-mantri was the first great Officer of state, or Chief Minister *in Sambas, Radin Mantri was a high title for princes of the blood, e.g. borne by Sri Paduka al-Sultan Tuanku 'Abu Bakar Taj ud-din I l-Marhum Janggutibni al-Marhum Sultan 'Umar Akam ud-din, future Sultan of Sambas, before his accession on the death of his father, 1790 *in

Yogyakarta Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by Hamengkubuwono, a monarchy, Yogyakarta is regarded as an importan ...

and

Surakarta Surakarta (Javanese script, Javanese: , Pegon script, Pegon: ), known colloquially as Solo (Javanese script, Javanese: ; ), is a major List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city in Central Java, Indonesia. The city adjoins Karanganyar Reg ...

palaces—the term is part of administrative titles for positions within the palaces and places that they control.

Malaysia

Other than Menteri: *Perdana Menteri: Prime Minister *Timbalan Perdana Menteri: Deputy Prime Minister *Jemaah Menteri: Cabinet (lit. 'the Ministerial Congregation') *as part of chief titles of leaders in various constitutive sultanates, also in compounds

Thailand

*Nayok Rattha Montri (นายกรัฐมนตรี): Prime Minister *Rawng Nayok Rattha Montri (รองนายกรัฐมนตรี): Deputy Prime Minister *Rattha Montri Waa Kan (รัฐมนตรีว่าการ): Minister *Khana Rattha Montri (คณะรัฐมนตรี): Cabinet

Sources and references

{{reflist Government ministers Titles in Bangladesh Titles in India Sanskrit words and phrases