Chaudhry
Chaudhry (also spelled Chowdhury, Chowdary, Chaudhury, Choudhury, Choudhry, Chaudhuri, Chaudhary, Chaudry or Choudhary) is a South Asian hereditary title and surname. It is common among families in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal. The term literally stands for the "holder of four". It was historically bestowed on zamindars under imperial rule.
History
During the Mughal Empire and the British Raj, landowning families were often conferred the title due to their four-quarter share of land revenues. In northern India and eastern Pakistan, the Jats and Gujjars use this title.
Chaudhry, Chaudhari, Choudhry, Chaudry or Chaudhary (The Headman or the First Person) refers to the title of Kalar Panwar, Rajputs, Dhobi A Vice President of the caste committee, A Section of Ahirs, Maheshri Bania, Gadaria, Gujar, Halwa and Mali. [1]
Bangladesh
- Humayun Rashid Choudhury, former President of the United Nations General Assembly
- Justice Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, 2nd President of Bangladesh
- Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, 5th Prime Minister of Bangladesh
- Justice A. F. M. Ahsanuddin Chowdhury, 9th President of Bangladesh
- A. Q. M. Badruddoza Chowdhury, 13th President of Bangladesh
- Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Speaker of the Bangladesh National Parliament
India
- Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury, 19th century aristocrat
- Chaudhary Charan Singh, 6th Prime Minister of India
- Renuka Chowdhury, former Union Minister of State
- Chaudhary Devi Lal, former Deputy Prime Minister of India
- Shankar Roychowdhury, former Chief of Staff of the Indian Army
- Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri, former Chief of Staff of the Indian Army
- Chaudhary Harmohan Singh Yadav,[2] Politician, Shaurya Chakra awardee
- Chaudhary Brahm Prakash Yadav Former Chief Minister, Delhi
Nepal
- Binod Chaudhary, Nepalese billionaire
Fiji
- Mahendra Chaudhry, former Prime Minister of Fiji
Pakistan
- Chaudhary Rahmat Ali, Pakistani Movement activist
- Chaudhry Muhammad Ali, 4th Prime Minister of Pakistan
- Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry, 5th President of Pakistan
- Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, 14th Prime Minister of Pakistan
- Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, former Chief Justice of Pakistan
United Kingdom
- Anwar Choudhury, British diplomat
- Shefali Chowdhury, English actress
- Anjem Choudary, Islamist political activist
United States
- Michael Chowdry, founder of cargo airliner Atlas Air
- Satveer Chaudhary, former Minnesota state senator
See also
- Zamindars of Bengal
- Punjab
References
- ↑ R. V. Russell (1997). The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India (Volumes I and II). Library of Alexandria. ISBN 9781465582942.
- ↑ M. L. Ahuja (2000). Handbook of General Elections and Electoral Reforms in India, 1952-1999. Mittal Publications. pp. 302,340. ISBN 9788170997665.