Desai
Encyclopedia
Desai is an administrative title and surname
derived from the Vedic Sanskrit words "desh sai" meaning "lord of the land." 'Desai' is a surname attributed to Hindus who were feudal lords and revenue collectors. People with the Desai surname are usually of the Anavil Brahmin
caste.
Some people were sometimes honored with the title 'Desai' when serving as revenue collectors during the Mughal Empire
in the Western Indian regions of Gujarat, Maharashtra
, Konkan
, and Goa
. In the Konkan region, the titular Desai surname is attached to another family name or the name of the village, e.g. Sawant Desai (primarily of Sawantwadi), Rane Sardesai, Raut Desai, Naik Desai. Other surnames that originated from the surname Desai are Walia, Singh and Deepak.
Notable People with the surname Desai:
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
derived from the Vedic Sanskrit words "desh sai" meaning "lord of the land." 'Desai' is a surname attributed to Hindus who were feudal lords and revenue collectors. People with the Desai surname are usually of the Anavil Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
caste.
Some people were sometimes honored with the title 'Desai' when serving as revenue collectors during the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
in the Western Indian regions of Gujarat, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, Konkan
Konkan
The Konkan also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore...
, and Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
. In the Konkan region, the titular Desai surname is attached to another family name or the name of the village, e.g. Sawant Desai (primarily of Sawantwadi), Rane Sardesai, Raut Desai, Naik Desai. Other surnames that originated from the surname Desai are Walia, Singh and Deepak.
Notable People with the surname Desai:
- Morarji DesaiMorarji DesaiMorarji Ranchhodji Desai was an Indian independence activist and the fourth Prime Minister of India from 1977–79. He was the first Indian Prime Minister who did not belong to the Indian National Congress...
- The late Prime Minister of IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... - C. D. DesaiC. D. DesaiChunnilal Devkaran Nanjee, known as "Desai", was a Twentieth century Indian commodity trader, financier, and philatelist.- Financial career :...
- Chunnilal Devkaran Nanjee: "Desai" - Banker and Philatelist - Anita DesaiAnita DesaiAnita Mazumdar Desai is an Indian novelist and Emeritus John E. Burchard Professor of Humanities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology...
- Author, thrice shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, mother of author Kiran DesaiKiran DesaiKiran Desai is an Indian author who is a citizen of India and a permanent resident of the United States. Her novel The Inheritance of Loss won the 2006 Man Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Fiction Award... - Kiran DesaiKiran DesaiKiran Desai is an Indian author who is a citizen of India and a permanent resident of the United States. Her novel The Inheritance of Loss won the 2006 Man Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Fiction Award...
- Author, awarded the Man Booker PrizeMan Booker PrizeThe Man Booker Prize for Fiction is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original full-length novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured of international renown and...
, 2006 - Mahadev DesaiMahadev DesaiMahadev Desai was an Indian independence activist and nationalist writer; he was most famously known for being the personal secretary of Mahatma Gandhi.-Career:...
- The secretary and assistant of Mahatma GandhiMahatma GandhiMohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
. - Manmohan DesaiManmohan DesaiManmohan Desai was a producer and director of Indian movies.- Background :His father, Kikubhai Desai, was an Indian film producer and owner of Paramount Studios from 1931 to 1941. His productions, mainly stunt films, included Circus Queen, Golden Gang, and Sheikh Challi...
- Director - Meghnad Desai, Baron DesaiMeghnad Desai, Baron DesaiMeghnad Jagdishchandra Desai, Baron Desai is an Indian-born British economist and Labour politician. He unsuccessfully stood for the Speaker in the British House of Lords , the first ever non-UK born candidate to do so.-Early life:...
- Economist and life peer of the British Labour Party - Dr. Umedram Lalbhai Desai - Physician/Surgeon (1869–1930)
- Leela DesaiLeela DesaiLeela Desai, aka Lila Desai, was a famous Indian actress in the 1930s and 40s. She was the daughter of Dr. Umedram Lalbhai Desai and his second wife Satyabala Devi, a famous musician in the early 1900s....
- Actress/Producer - Prachi DesaiPrachi DesaiPrachi Desai is an Indian film and television actress. She is best known for her role as Bani Walia in the Hindi television drama Kasamh Se which aired on Zee TV. Prachi is the endorser, spokesperson, brand ambassador and the face of Neutrogena products in India...
- Actress - BinduBindu (actress)Bindu is an actress in Indian cinema who was most popular, receiving several award nominations, in the 1970s. She has acted in over 160 movies in a career that spanned four decades.-Early life:...
Desai - Actress - Anoop DesaiAnoop DesaiAnoop Desai is an American singer-songwriter best known for his time as a contestant on the eighth season of American Idol. Motivated by the death of his friend Eve Carson, Desai auditioned for American Idol. Desai made American Idol history by being the first ever 13th finalist on American Idol...
- American singer, contestant on American Idol Season 8