''Prabhu'' means ''master'' or ''prince'' in

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 ...

and many of the Indian languages; it is a name sometimes applied to

God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...

Surname

Prabhu is a surname among Gaud saraswat Brahmins, saraswat Brahmins and other Brahmins across the Konkan Coast in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, from

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

and

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

to Goa.

As a title

"Prabhu" as a title is mainly found among Gaud saraswat Brahmins, Saraswat Brahmins, Karhade Brahmins and other Brahmins in

and Goa. Prabhu was a title accorded to the representative of the main village of the ''

taluka A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluk, or taluka () is a local unit of administrative division in India and Pakistan. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administrative ...

'' (district) committee. The Prabhus may have also occupied official posts in the central administration, without prejudice to their original posts which were hereditary. Traditionally, a Prabhu was a village chief, Ministers, Zamindars, administrators, landlord and as such a master to the many agricultural labourers that were needed to cultivate his lands.

Notable people

* Prabhu (actor), Indian actor and film producer * Lakshman Prabhu, a minister in the court of the Silhara dynasty * Manohar Prabhu Parrikar (1955–2019), Indian politician * Suresh Prabhu (born 1953), Indian politician * Bolanthur Krishna Prabhu (1882–?), wrote ''Chandrahas Natak'' * Gayathri Prabhu (born 1974), Indian novelist * Girish Prabhu, Indian musician * (born 1954), Indian sprinter * Jaideep Prabhu (born 1967), professor * K. N. Prabhu (1923–2006) * Mamta Prabhu (born 1983), table tennis player * Manjiri Prabhu (born 1964), Indian author, TV producer and filmmaker * N. U. Prabhu (1924–2022), Indian-American mathematician * Neeraj Prabhu (born 1976), Indian-born former English cricketer * R.S. Prabhu (born 1950), Indian film producer and film director * Rakesh Prabhu, Indian cricketer * S. R. Prabhu, Indian film producer * Satyajit Prabhu, music arranger, composer, and multi-instrumentalist * Seetharam Prabhu (born 1964), Indian cricket umpire * Shashi Prabhu (born 1944), Indian architect * Srinivas Prabhu, actor * Sunil Prabhu (born 1969), Indian politician * Vasant K. Prabhu, professor * Vasant Prabhu (died 1968)

References

{{surname Surnames Surnames of Indian origin Konkani-language surnames

Surname

As a title

Notable people

See also

References