Kamat
Language(s) | Sanskrit |
---|---|
Origin | |
Meaning | toponymic; literally "cultivator, cultivation, cultivated land" |
Region of origin | India |
Kamat (also spelt as Kamath) is a surname from coastal Karnataka and Goa in India. It is found among Hindus of the Goud Saraswat Brahmin and Rajapur Saraswat Brahmin community.[1]
Variations
Kamat is a common surname of Konkani Saraswat Brahmins and of a few Konkani Roman Catholics of Goa and Canara. "Kamat" is mostly used in the Konkan area which includes Goa and around the Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka. Kamath is used by Brahmins around Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka. "Camotim" was used in the erstwhile Portuguese territory of Goa but has given way to "Kamat" today.[2] "Camat" word is still in use in Indonesia which was a Portuguese colony at some point of time in the history. In Indonesia "Camat" means administrative and political head of the sub-district or taluk. Taluk may be said as kecamatan (spelled as ke-chamatan). The name is also in use among some Konkani Catholics who trace their ancestry to the Goud Saraswat Brahmins of Goa.[3]
There are many GSB and RSB families, original "Kamats" from Goa who migrated to Karnataka and Maharashtra in the 16th Century during the Portuguese rule and they adopted the place name from Goa where they originally belonged to.
Notable people
The following is a list of notable people with last name Kamath/Kamat.
- M. V. Kamath, journalist & former Chairman of Prasar Bharati
- K. V. Kamath, Chairman of Infosys, Non-executive Chairman of ICICI Bank, Former MD and CEO of ICICI Bank and Forbes Asia Business of the Year 2007
- Digambar Kamat, Chief Minister of Goa (2007 to 2012)
- Durgabai Kamat (1899 - 1997), first actress of Indian cinema, debuted in Mohini Bhasmasur (1913), second movie of Phalke[4][5]
- Nishikant Kamath, Actor.
- Umesh Kamat, Marathi Actor
- Ninad Kamat, Marathi and Hindi Actor
- Nithin Kamath, Founder & CEO of Zerodha
- Dr. Vithal Kamat, Founder and chairman of Kamat Hotels, Orchid Hotels and Kamats Group
Citations
- ^ "Kamath Family History". Oxford University Press. Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press.
- ^ Saradesāya 2000, p. 24
- ^ Sarasvati's Children: A History of the Mangalorean Christians, Alan Machado Prabhu, I.J.A. Publications, 1999, p. 137
- ^ Riya Chakravarty (May 3, 2013). "Indian cinema@100: First women on screen: Durgabai Kamat and her daughter Kamlabai Ghokhle". NDTV. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
- ^ "Vikram Gokhale has an illustrious family lineage". The Times of India. Jan 23, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
References
- Saradesāya, Manohararāya (2000), A History of Konkani Literature: From 1500 to 1992, Sahitya Akademi, ISBN 81-7201-664-6.