Kamat
Kamath or Kamat is a common surname amongst the Goud Saraswat Brahmins of the Konkan and Malabar coasts of India in the states of Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra. They usually speak Konkani and is considered as their mother tongue. And most often Marathi or Kannada as their secondary language. The surname is believed to be derived from kaali maTTaachi which means people from Kali Math. The intelligence of the Kamats is attributed to their ancestors, who spent time in the Math learning from the goddess Kali. Another opinion holds that it was derived from profession as many GSB names are Kamats were said to be land owners among GSB families - the name could have been derived from "kaam mathichen", meaning work of the soil. The Konkani meaning of "Kamot" seems to be "cultivator".[1] However, in modern times, the surname is no more linked to profession.
Variations
Kamat is a common surname of Goud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB) and of a few Konkani Roman Catholics of Goa and Canara. "Kamat" is mostly used in Goa, around the Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, and Konkan in Maharashtra. Kamath is used around Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka and also in Kerala. "Camotim" was used in the erstwhile Portuguese territory of Goa but has given way to "Kamat" today.[2] 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 families, original "Kamats" from Goa who migrated to Maharashtra in the 16th Century during the Portuguese rule and they adopted the place name from Goa where they originally belonged to.
Kasaragod Kamath which is one of the biggest of GSB families and they are proud to keep track of the last 5 generations. They maintain a family tree which is containing names of all family members for the last five generations and it is updated every year on the auspicious day of Sri Vinayaka Chaturthi. Vinayaka chaturthi is celebrated by Kasaragod Kamaths in their 200 year old family house in a most traditional way.[4]
The "Kamat"(GSB) surname is also use in north bihar specially in district of Darbhanga, Madhubani etc
Prominent Kamat/Kamaths
- Late H. V. Kamath - Member of Parliament and the first Constituent Assembly of India
- M V Kamath - Veteran journalist & Chairperson of Prasar Bharati
- K. V. Kamath - MD and CEO of ICICI Bank and Forbes Asia Business of the Year 2007
- G. R. Kamat - Noted screenplay writer of Hindi and Marathi films, such as Mahal (Ashok Kumar), Kala Pani (Dev Anand), Mera Saaya (Sunil Dutt, Sadhana), Main Tulsi Tere Angan Ki (Nutan, Vinod Khanna), Pukar (Amitabh Bacchan), Baseraa (Shashi Kapoor, Rekha, Rakhee)), Do Premee (Rishi Kapoor), Manchali (Sanjeev Kumar), Do Raaste (Rajesh Khanna), Pedgav che Shahane (Marathi film)
- Dr. K. L. Kamat, scholar, writer, and amateur photographer[5]
- Digambar Kamat - Chief Minister of Goa (2007 to date)
- Krishnanand Kamat - Renowned entomologist and a travel writer in Kannada
- Late Kasaragod Devadasa Krishna Kamath (1919–1991) ,Freedom fighter who took active part in 1942 quit India movement.
- Nihal Kamat,the actor participated in tiatrs. from Neura-Goa.
- Ashok Kamat, Konkani poet, writer & Sahitya Academy Awardee
- Maxwell Pereira-Kamath, Former Joint Police Commissioner, Traffic in Delhi, India.
- A. V. Kamat, Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Machine Tools
- Pramod V. Kamat, Law Secretary,Government of Goa
- Subodh V. Kamat , Chief Operating Officer, Lanco Infratech Limited,Gurgaon
- Vinod V. Kamat, Sarpanch, Neura, Ilhas, Goa
- K R Kamath, Chairman & MD of Punjab National Bank,India
- Vithal Kamath, Hotelier owner of 'Kamath' hotels and Orchid.
- Nishikant Kamath, Actor.
- Ulhas Kamath, deputy managing director of Jyothy Labs and Henkel India
- Shrinidhi Kamath, entrepreneur
- Ramdas Kamat, Noted Classical, Natyasangeet, Marathi Film Music singer, Mumbai, India.
- Umesh Kamat, Marathi Actor
- Ninad Kamat, Marathi and Hindi Actor
- Rekha Kamat, Veteran Marathi Actor
- Damodar V. Kamat, Founder of Kamat Foto Flash in 1945
- Ajit Kamath, Chairman and Managing Director, Arch Pharmalabs
Citations
References
- Maffei, Angelus Francis Xavier (1882), A Konkani Grammar, Mangalore: Basel Mission & Tract Depository, OCLC 14242653, http://www.archive.org/details/akonkanigrammar00maffgoog, retrieved 2009-04-30 .
- Saradesāya, Manohararāya (2000), A History of Konkani Literature: From 1500 to 1992, Sahitya Akademi, ISBN 8172016646, http://books.google.com/books?id=1YILeUD_oZUC&printsec=frontcover .
External links