Kamat
Kamat (also spelt as Kamath) is a common surname amongst the Konkani Saraswat Brahmins of the Konkan coast of India in the states of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra. They usually speak Konkani and is considered as their mother tongue. And most often Kannada or Tulu as their secondary language. The surname is believed to be derived from kaali maTTaachi which means people from Kali Math. Another opinion holds that it was derived from profession as many Konkani Saraswat Brahmin names are Kamats were said to be land owners among Konkani Saraswat families - the name could have been derived from "kaam mathichen", meaning work of the soil.
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 Goa, around the Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, and Konkan in Maharashtra. 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.[1] "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.[2]
There are many GSB and RSB 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.
Notable people
The following is a list of notable people with last name Kamath/Kamat.
- M V Kamath - Veteran 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
- V. V. Kamath, chairman of Kamath group of Hotels
- P. V. Kamat - Professor of Chemistry & BioChemistry, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame
- Dr. K. L. Kamat, scholar, writer, and amateur photographer[3]
- 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
- Ganesh Kamath, Supreme Court Advocate
Citations
- ↑ Saradesāya 2000, p. 24
- ↑ Sarasvati's Children: A History of the Mangalorean Christians, Alan Machado Prabhu, I.J.A. Publications, 1999, p. 137
- ↑ Late Dr. K. L. Kamat
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References
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