Mehta
Mehta is an Indian surname.
Usage
The word Mehta means "chief", and is derived from the Sanskrit word mahita ("great" or "praised"). It is found among several Indian communities, including Hindus, Jains, Parsis and Sikhs. Among Hindus, it is used by a wide range of castes and social groups, including Banias, Brahmins and Khatris.[1]
People with this surname are native to north-western regions of India, including Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra (Mumbai).[1] In Rajasthan, Mehta was originally used as a term of respect applied to non-Rajput administrative office holders, most of whom were Oswals, other Vaishyas and Kayeths.[2] In Gujarati language, the term was used to address teachers and accountants, and became associated with these professions.[1] Among Oswals, Porwal Banias and Punjabi Khatris, it is a clan name.[1]
Notable Mehtas
Notable individuals with this surname include:
- Kalu Mehta, father of Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak
- Jay Mehta, businessman and owner of the Mehta Group of companies
- Mahendra Mehta, Chief executive of Vedanta Resources; also known as Mahendar Singh
- Anil Mehta, film director, cinematographer
- Aditya Mehta, professional snooker player
- Vipul Mehta, winner of Indian Idol 6 from Amritsar
- Harshad Mehta, Indian stockbroker, who was later convicted
- Bejun Mehta, American countertenor
- Deepa Mehta, Canadian film director and screenwriter
- Sargun Mehta, Indian model, comedian, dancer, presenter and actress
- Gulshan Kumar Mehta, Indian lyricist and actor
- Veer Singh Mehta, Indian neurosurgeon
- Veronica Mehta, British Punjabi singer
- Zubin Mehta, Indian conductor of Western classical music
- Tyeb Mehta, Indian painter
- Hemant Mehta, American, born Indian author
- Jagat Singh Mehta, former Foreign Secretary of India
- Madan Lal Mehta, theoretical physicist in the field of Random Matrix theory
- Nicky Mehta, singer, songwriter, member of Canadian folk trio The Wailin' Jennys.
- Michael D. Mehta, Canadian, born environmental sociologist and academic
- Pherozeshah Mehta, Indian political leader, activist, and lawyer
- Narsinh Mehta, Gujarati spiritual poet, beloved of Mahatma Gandhi
- Suketu Mehta (born 1963), India-born American writer
- Vikram Bhagvandas Mehta, Indian mathematician
- Zarin Mehta, Executive director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra; brother of Zubin Mehta
- Ashok Mehta, Indian film cinematographer
- Jivraj Narayan Mehta, Gujarat's first Chief Minister
- Hansa Jivraj Mehta, Freedom Fighter
- Balwant Rai Mehta, Gujarat's second Chief Minister
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.
References
- ^ a b c d Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
- ^ R.K. Gupta, S.R. Bakshi (2012). Dalit Literature: Our Response, p.100.