>Yamaguchi先生 at 19:56, 11 October 2021

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{{original research|date=January 2016}}
'''Desai''' (देसाई) ({{IPA-hns|d̪eːsaːi|pron}}) is an Indian administrative, princely or honorary title and [[surname]].<ref>[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=hobson&query=Desai&matchtype=exact&display=utf8 Also, "Mahr. ''deśāī''; in W. and S. India a native official in charge of a district, often held hereditarily; a petty chief." Henry Yule, ''Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases'', pp. 292, 306.]</ref>

== Etymology ==
The word is derived from the [[Sanskrit]] ''deśa'' (country) and ''svāmī'' (lord).<ref>https://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=desai</ref>

==Desai as a title==
Desai was a title given to [[feudal]] [[lord]]s, and others who were granted a village or group of villages, in [[North Karnataka]], [[Gujarat]], and [[Maharashtra]]. The title Desai should not be associated with a particular religion or caste, though a Desai would use the title of Rao or Rai or Raje as a suffix to his name denoting he is a king of those villages, The "Desai" title was given by [[Maratha emperors]], [[Mughal emperors]] and by the [[Deccan sultanates]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Raj Kumar |year=2003 |title=Essays on Modern India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5L_2-w13fMMC |publisher=Discovery Publishing House |page=73|isbn=9788171416905 }}</ref>

* In Maharashtra, the title ''Desai'' is conferred to feudal lords and village council members. Most of them are either [[Deshastha Brahmin]]s,<ref>{{cite book|author=Syed Siraj ul Hassan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lYSd-3yL9h0C&pg=PA111|title=The Castes and Tribes of H.E.H. the Nizam's Dominions, Volume 1|publisher=Asian Educational Services|year=1989|page=111|isbn = 9788120604889}}</ref> [[Maratha]]s, and [[Karhade Brahmin]]s.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Chitpavans: Social Ascendancy of a Creative Minority in Maharashtra, 1818-1918|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ez4wAQAAIAAJ|page=28|author=Sandhya Gokhale|publisher=Shubhi Publications|year=2008|isbn = 9788182901322|quote=Hereditary rights of Karhades were those of Desai, district officer, or Deshmukh, and Sardesai, senior district officer.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=V. D. Divekar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XZNuAAAAMAAJ|title=South India in 1857 War of Independence|publisher=Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Trust|year=1993|page=148}}</ref>
*In Gujarat, ''Desai'' is honoured to Anavil Brahmin,Vaishnav Vanik and Patidars caste people. The title was also given to feudal lords and revenue collectors<ref>{{cite book|title=Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DhRGDAAAQBAJ&q=desai+anavil+brahmin&pg=PT237|publisher=Random House|access-date=1 June 2017|author=Laura Spinney|date = June 2017|isbn = 9781473523920}}</ref>

Desai, or a loftier compound, was a rare title for rulers of a few [[princely state]]s, notably:

* '''Raja Sar Desai''' in the Maratha [[Savantvadi State]] from 1627 until the adoption of "Raja Bahadur" in 1763.
*'''Desai Shri''' in [[Patdi State|Patdi]] (the former [[Viramgam State]]), in [[Eastern Kathiawar]], where Desai was also the name of the ruling family, which belongs to the Desai clan of Kadwa Patidar.

==Desai as a surname==
Desai as a surname is used by [[Deshastha Brahmin]],<ref>{{cite book|title=People of India: Maharashtra, Part 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OmBjoAFMfjoC|page=478|publisher=Popular Prakashan|year=2004|author=Kumar Suresh Singh|isbn = 9788179911006}}</ref> [[Karhade Brahmin]],<ref>{{cite book|title=The Scheduled Castes, Volume 21|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ORBOAQAAMAAJ|page=111|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1995|isbn = 9780195637427|quote=The Karhade Brahman have their own clan deities like Khalnath, Jogeshwari, Bhavani. They celebrate various festivals like Diwali, Holi, Gudipadva, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc. They have surnames like Desai, Dhupkar, Prabhudesai, Bakhle...}}</ref> [[Anavil Brahmin]],<ref>{{cite book|title=Indian immigrants in Britain|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=82JnAAAAMAAJ|publisher=Oxford University Press|access-date=13 June 2008|page=11|author=Rashmi H. Desai|year = 1963}}</ref> [[Rabari]],<ref>{{cite book|title=Lush Fields and Parched Throats: The Political Economy of Groundwater in Gujarat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4Yal3lskjj4C|page=33|author=Bela Bhatia|publisher=UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU/WIDER)|year=1992|quote=Individuals with the Desai surname ( used both by some Patels as well as by Rabaris ) have been included in this group for want of information on their precise caste affiliation.}}</ref> [[Leva Patel]],<ref>{{cite book|title=Lush Fields and Parched Throats: The Political Economy of Groundwater in Gujarat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4Yal3lskjj4C|page=33|author=Bela Bhatia|publisher=UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU/WIDER)|year=1992|quote=Individuals with the Desai surname ( used both by some Patels as well as by Rabaris ) have been included in this group for want of information on their precise caste affiliation.}}</ref> [[Patidar]],<ref>{{cite book|title=Racial Bargaining in Independent Kenya: A Study of Minorities and Decolonization|page=45|author=Donald S. Rothchild|publisher=Institute of Race Relations London|year=1973|quote=The Patidars, distinguished by such caste surnames as Patel, Amin, and Desai, were originally landholders in Gujarat.}}</ref> and [[Lingayat]] communities of [[Maharashtra]], [[Karnataka]]<ref>{{cite book|title=Studies in Indian place names, Volume 4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vEVuAAAAMAAJ|publisher=Geetha Book House|year=1984|page=125|quote=These surnames are reminiscent of the Maratha rule over Karnataka. Thus we have surnames like Desai, Deshmukh, Deshpande, Inamdar, Jagirdar, Kulkarni, Patil, etc. These families held different posts under the Maratha administration.}}</ref> and [[Gujarat]].

== Individual people ==
Notable individuals with the surname Desai include:
; Public officers
* [[Darbar Gopaldas Desai|Gopaldas Ambaidas Desai]] – politician; former Prince of [[Dhasa]]
*[[Babubhai Desai]] - Ex MLA of [[kankrej]]
* [[Kantilal Thakoredas Desai]] – second Chief Justice of [[Gujarat]]
* [[Kevit Desai]] - Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education state department for Vocational and Technical Training, [[Kenya]]
* [[Krishna Desai]] – CPI politician
* [[Morarji Desai]] – Prime Minister of India (1977–79)
* [[Mahadev Desai]] – Secretary to [[Mahatma Gandhi]]
* [[S. T. Desai]] – first Chief Justice of Gujarat
* [[Haridas Viharidas Desai]] - Diwan of Junagadh state (1883-95)
* Bhimsen Venkatrao Desai - Politician; Member of the 7th and 8th Lok Sabha representing the Raichur constituency of Karnataka<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/2718.htm|title=Members Bioprofile}}</ref><ref>[[List of members of the 7th Lok Sabha#Karnataka]]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=February 2021}}
* [[Shamburaj Shivajirao Desai]]- State Minister Of Home Affairs, Maharashtra, Currently Serving His 4th Term As MLA in Maharashtra Assembly
;Arts, sciences and business
*[[Anita Desai]] – Author; mother of author [[Kiran Desai]]
*[[Bhairavi Desai]] – American [[labor union]] leader
*[[Bindu (actress)|Bindu Desai]] – Actress
*[[C. D. Desai]] – Banker and [[philatelist]]
*[[Ebrahim Desai]] – Islamic scholar
*[[Kiran Desai]] – Author; 2006 [[Man Booker Prize]] winner
*[[Kishwar Desai]] – Author
*[[Manmohan Desai]] – Director
*[[Mavjibhai Desai]] – Vice Chairman of [[Banas Dairy]]
*[[Meghnad Desai, Baron Desai]] – [[economist]]
*[[Mihir A. Desai]] - American economist and professor at [[Harvard Business School]] and [[Harvard Law School]]
*[[Nitin Chandrakant Desai]] – Art director
*[[Padma Desai]] – American economist and professor at [[Columbia University]]
*[[Ramanlal Desai]] - Gujarati writer
*[[Ranjit Desai]] – [[Marathi language|Marathi]] writer
*[[Salil Desai]] – Author
*[[Sapan Desai]] – American physician; publisher and discredited researcher
*[[Umedram Lalbhai Desai]] – Physician

; Culture & Sports
*[[Anoop Desai]] – American singer
*[[Gunwant Desai]] – Indian cricketer
*[[K. R. Desai]] - Cricketer; philanthropist; educator
*[[Prachi Desai]] – Actress
*[[Ramakant Desai]] – Cricketer; India's first fast bowler
*[[Rashami Desai]] – Actress
*[[Ravish Desai]] – Actor
*[[Renu Desai]] – Actress
*[[Kantilal Thakoredas Desai|Satyaki "Sattu" Desai]] – Environmental officer
*[[Sean Desai]] - American football coach; Defensive Coordinator for the [[Chicago Bears]]
*[[Subhash Desai]] – [[Shiv Sena]] leader
*[[Tina Desai]] – Actress
*[[Rajdeep Sardesai]] - Boxer (and cash for news "journalist")

== See also ==
* [[Maratha titles]]
* [[Indian honorifics]]
* [[Indian feudalism]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{surname}}

[[Category:Indian feudalism]]
[[Category:Indian surnames]]
[[Category:Hindu surnames]]
[[Category:Gujarati-language surnames]]

Desai - Revision history

>Yamaguchi先生 at 19:56, 11 October 2021