Chettiar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Total population |
|---|
| 14% population of TamilNadu[1] |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Sivagangai, Salem, Pudukkottai, Theni, Coimbatore, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Chennai, Thiruppur, Trichy, Thanjavur, Karur, Namakkal, Dindigul Districts, Aruppukkottai, Paramakudi |
| Languages |
| Religion |
| Related ethnic groups |
Chettiar (Tamil: செட்டியார் Ceṭṭiyār), also spelled Chetty, is a title used by various castes in South India especially in Tamil Nadu. In Kannada, the title appears as Setty, Shettar and Shettigar. Chettiars are the most successful and prominent trading community in Tamil Nadu.[2]
In Tamil Nadu, 14% of the population is Chettiar.[3]
Contents |
[edit] Primary usage of title
The origin of the word Chettiar suggests the meaning "Selling merchandise and advertise those loudly". The word itself clearly indicates to a business and trade community. Chettiar title is used mainly by trading castes of South India. But it is also used by the non-trading communities such as the Kummara.[2]
[edit] Usage among various occupational castes
Most of the non-Tamil castes use it as an affix to their profession specific names. Setty represents a trade in Telugu. Telugu, Kannada and Malayali weavers use the title of Chettiar although they are of different castes, but engaged in the same occupation.[citation needed]
[edit] Castes using the title
- Ayira Vaisya
- Beri Chettiar
- Devanga
- Elur Chetty
- Komati Chetty
- Kongu Chettiar
- Nagarathar
- Padmashali
- Pattariyar
- Saliya
- Senaithalaivar
- Sozhia Chettiar
- Twenty four Manai Telugu Chettiars
- Vaniya Chettiar
- Vellan Chettiar
[edit] Notable Persons from distinct castes using Chettiar title in Tamil Nadu
[edit] Nagarathar
- Alagappa Chettiar, philanthropist, Founder of Alagappa University, Karaikudi
- Karumuttu Thiagarajan Chettiar, Founder of Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Thigarajar Textile mills, Bank of Madura, Madurai
- Ramaswami Chettiar, philanthropist and businessman
- Annamalai Chettiar, philanthropist, Founder of Annamalai University, Chidambaram and Founder of Chettinad group of Companies
- M. Ct. Muthiah Chettiar, Indian banker who served as a director of the Indian Bank
- A. R. Lakshmanan, Former Madras High Court Judge
- M. A. Muthiah Chettiar, philanthropist, first Mayor of Chennai
- M. A. M. Ramaswamy, MP, Rajya Sabha, Co-Founder & Present Chairman of Chettinad Group of Companies, Pro-Chancellor for Annamalai University, winner of 500 horse racing classics
- PPR Subramaniam Chettiar, Journalist, Business man, Visionary Leader
- Avichi Meiyappa Chettiar, Founder of AVM Productions
- M. A. Chidambaram, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is named after him
- A. C. Muthiah, Former President of BCCI
- Angidi Chettiar, Former Vice President of Mauritius
- P. Chidambaram, Home Minister of India
- Kaviarasar Kannadasan, Famous Tamil Poet
- S. P. Muthuraman, Famous Director in Tamil Cinema
- Vasanth, Famous Director and screenwriter in Tamil Cinema
- Karu Pazhaniappan, Famous Director and screenwriter in Tamil Cinema
- Abirami Ramanathan, President of Theatre Owners Association, Tamil Nadu
- S. Regupathy, Former MP and Former Minister of Tamil Nadu, Pudukkottai
- C. T. Chidambaram, Former MLA, Karaikudi constituency
- N. Sundaram, Former MLA, Karaikudi constituency
- N. Subramanian Chettiar, Former MLA, srirangam constituency
- M. Saravanan, Film producer.
- Tamilvanan, Tamil language author and publisher
- Subbu Panchu Arunachalam, Producer, Actor
- M. S. Guhan, producer of Tamil films.
- A. L. Vijay, Famous Director in Tamil Cinema
[edit] Devangar
- Sir Pitti Theagaroya Chetty, Justice Party Leader
- Rajesh Kumar, Crime Novelist
[edit] Senaithalaivar
- R. M. Veerappan, Former Minister of Tamil Nadu
[edit] 24 Manai Telugu Chettiar
- Udumalai Narayana Kavi, Former poet in film industry from Udumalaipettai
- Pollachi V. Jayaraman, politician, Former Minister, MLA, AIADMK, Pollachi
- K. C. Palanisamy, Former MP and Famous Industrialist, Karur
- E. G. Sugavanam, MP, Krishnagiri
- P. Dhanapal, politician and former MLA, Sankari constituency
- H G Arumugam, politician and former MLA, 1977 BARGUR and 1984 PENNAGARAM constituency. from Harur.
- Kutraleeswaran, intercontinental swimmer from Chennai.
[edit] Pattariyar
- P. Vasu, Famous, Director in South Indian Cinema
- Shakthi Vasudevan, Tamil actor
[edit] Padmasaliyar
- Nalli Chinnasamy Chetti, Founder, Nalli, Chennai
[edit] Vaniya Chettiar
- R. K. Shanmukham Chetty, Indian lawyer, economist and first Finance Minister of India
- V. K. Ramasamy, Tamil actor
[edit] Komati Chettiar
- Meena, Kollywood actress
[edit] Elur Chetty
- Neela Padmanabhan,writer,Novelist,Poet,Translator
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com
- ^ a b http://businesscommunities.webs.com/chettiar.htm
- ^ . 2 april 2011.
- ^ http://chettinad.itgo.com/pp.htm
- ^ http://www.karaikudi.net/eminent.html
- ^ http://www.chennaibest.com/cityresources/clothing_and_textiles/personalities01.asp
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty_four_Manai_Telugu_Chettiars
- ^ http://www.karaikudi.biz/karaikudi.htm
- ^ http://www.enotes.com/topic/Senaithalaivar
[edit] Other resources
- Christine Dobson, Asian Entrepreneurial Minorities, Curzon Press UK, 1996. A chapter in the book is devoted to the Chettiars who set up businesses in Burma.
- Rajeswary Brown (1993) "Chettiar capital and Southeast Asian credit networks in the inter-war period". In G. Austin and K. Sugihara, eds. Local Suppliers of Credit in the Third World, 1750-1960. (New York: St. Martin's Press).
- David Rudner (1989) Banker's Trust and the Culture of Banking among the Nattukottai Chettiars of Colonial South India. Modern Asian Studies 23 (3), 417-458.
- Heiko Schrader (1996) Chettiar Finance in Colonial Asia. Zeitschrift fur Ethnologie 121, 101-126.
