Mehta
Mehta is an Indian surname. The word Mehta means "chief", and may be 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:
- Aditya Mehta, professional snooker player
- Amit P. Mehta, United States District Judge
- Anil Mehta, film director, cinematographer
- Ashok Mehta, Indian film cinematographer
- Balwant Rai Mehta, Gujarat's second Chief Minister
- Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Indian academic and think tank.
- Bejun Mehta, American countertenor
- Deepa Mehta, Canadian film director and screenwriter
- Devaanshi Mehta, British-Indian student who started the Asian Donor Campaign
- Gulshan Kumar Mehta, Indian lyricist and actor
- Hansa Jivraj Mehta, Indian reformist, social activist, educator, independence activist, and writer
- Harshad Mehta, Indian stockbroker, who was later convicted
- Hemant Mehta, American, born Indian author
- Homi Maneck Mehta (1871–1948), Indian industrialist and philanthropist
- Jagat Singh Mehta, former Foreign Secretary of India
- Jamshed Nusserwanjee Mehta, (1886–1952): former Mayor of Karachi for 12 consecutive years
- Jay Mehta, businessman and owner of the Mehta Group of companies
- Jehangir Mehta, executive chef and owner of New York City restaurants Graffiti, Me and You and Mehtaphor
- Jivraj Narayan Mehta, Gujarat's first Chief Minister
- Kalu Mehta, father of Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak
- Madan Lal Mehta, theoretical physicist in the field of Random Matrix theory
- Mahendra Mehta, Chief executive of Vedanta Resources; also known as Mahendar Singh
- Mehli Mehta, (1908–2002): musician; founder of the Bombay Philharmonic and Bombay String Orchestras
- Michael D. Mehta, Canadian born environmental sociologist and academic
- Nakuul Mehta, actor and model
- Nariman Mehta, organic chemist and inventor of bupropion, the most commonly used antidepressant drug
- Narsinh Mehta, Gujarati spiritual poet, beloved of Mahatma Gandhi
- Nicky Mehta, singer, songwriter, member of Canadian folk trio The Wailin' Jennys.
- Phiroz Mehta, (1902-1994): writer on religious topics and philosopher.
- Pherozeshah Mehta, Indian political leader, activist, and lawyer
- Sahil Mehta, Indian Actor
- Sargun Mehta, Indian model, comedian, dancer, presenter and actress
- Shekhar Mehta, Ugandan-born Kenyan rally driver
- Suketu Mehta (born 1963), India-born American writer
- Tyeb Mehta, Indian painter
- Uday Singh Mehta, American political scientist
- Veer Singh Mehta, Indian neurosurgeon
- Veronica Mehta, British Punjabi singer
- Vikram Bhagvandas Mehta, Indian mathematician
- Vipul Mehta, winner of Indian Idol 6 from Amritsar
- Zarin Mehta, Executive director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra; brother of Zubin Mehta
- Zubin Mehta, Indian conductor of Western classical music
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.