Kulkarni

Kulkarni (Marathi: कुलकर्णी, Kannada: ಕುಲಕರ್ಣಿ) is a family name native to the Indian state of Maharashtra and Northern Karnataka. It is found among the Brahmin^[1] communities of these states such as Deshastha,^[2]^[3] Karhade^[4] and also among the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu (CKP)^[5] community. The reason the Kulkarni was a Brahmin or CKP was because literacy was mandatory for the office. The Kulkarni operated at the village level but at a Pargana level he was known as a "Deshkulkarni", Deshpande or Nadkarni (in Karnataka).^[6]

The name "Kulkarni" is a combination of two words (kula and karni). Kula means "family", and Karanika means "archivist".^[7] Traditionally, Kulkarni was a title used for people who used to maintain the accounts and records of the villages and used to collect taxes. The title of the Kulkarni was later replaced by the Talathi. The Pargana and Kulkarni watans (land rights) were abolished in 1950.^[8]

Notable Kulkarnis

Saints

Jñāneśvar 1275–1296
Eknath: Pre-sainthood name: Eknāth Kulkarni : 1533–1599
Samarth Ramdas: Pre-sainthood name: Narayan Kulkarni (Thosar): 1608–1681
Nivruttinath: Pre-sainthood name: Nivrutti Kulkarni : Elder brother and teacher of Dnyaneshwar
Sopan: Pre-sainthood name: Sopan Kulkarni
Muktabai: Pre-sainthood name: Mukta Kulkarni
Mahipati: Chronicler of many Indian saints, author of the Bhaktavijaya: (1715–1790)

Historic Figures

Ramchandra Pant Amatya: 1650–1716 The third Peshwa, Finance Minister (Amatya) to Emperor (Chhatrapati) Shivaji and Imperial Regent (Hukumat Panah)
Parshuram Trimbak Kulkarni: 1660–1718 Held post of Pant Pratinidhi, the fifth Peshwa and the founder of Aundh and Vishalgad princely states.

Literature

G. A. Kulkarni (1923–1987): Short story writer

Entertainment

Atul Kulkarni: Marathi film and theater actor
Chandrakant Kulkarni: Film director
Dhondutai Kulkarni: Vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana
Girish Kulkarni: Marathi film actor
Mamta Kulkarni: Bollywood actress
Mrinal Dev-Kulkarni: Marathi television actress.
Saleel Kulkarni: Marathi singer and composer
Sameep Kulkarni: Sitarist
Sandeep Kulkarni: Marathi actor
Sonali Kulkarni: Bollywood actress
Sonalee Kulkarni: Marathi film actress
Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni: Film Director

Sports

Nilesh Kulkarni: Indian cricketer
Raju Kulkarni: Former Indian cricketer
Shubhangi Kulkarni: Indian woman cricketer and secretary of the Women's Cricket Association of India
Vineet Kulkarni: Indian cricket umpire and member of the International Cricket Council's International Panel of Umpires and Referees
Dhawal Kulkarni Indian cricketer, fast bowler from Mumbai.
Vedangi Kulkarni Pune woman has become the fastest Asian to cycle the globe.

Professionals

Ravi S. Kulkarni (born 1942): Indian mathematician
Sudha Kulkarni Murty: Kannada writer, Founder of Sudha Murty Foundation and wife of Narayan Murthy
Sri Preston Kulkarni (born 1978): American diplomat and politician

References

^ "Kulkarni Family History". Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press. 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
^ A. Rā Kulakarṇī (2000). Maharashtra: society and culture. Books & Books. p. 74. However, the rural areas were still dominated by the Deshasthas, another sub-caste of the Brahmins. The Kulkarni generally belonged to the rural-based Deshastha community, even under the Chitpavan rule.
^ Irina Glushkova; Rajendra Vora (eds.). Home, Family and Kinship in Maharashtra. Oxford University Press. p. 118. The wada tells us of a story of three generations of a family called Deshpande who belong to the Deshastha Brahmin caste. ....Spread all over Maharashtra as a result of this process, Deshastha Brahmans held, in particular, the office of Kulkarni.
^ Bryan Sharpe (1973). Bombay Teachers and the Cultural Role of Cities. University of California, Berkeley. p. 106.
^ "Unknown". The Illustrated Weekly of India. Vol. 91 no. 3. Bennett, Coleman & Company. July 1970. p. 12. Generally speaking, excepting names such as Kulkarni, Thackerey, Chitnis, Deshmukh, Deshpande, which are common to many communities in Maharashtra, a C.K.P. can be recognised by his surname.
^ "The Quarterly Review of Historical Studies - Volume 8". Institute of Historical Studies. 1969: 44. The accountant of the Village was simply known as 'Kulkarni' and that of the Pargana or smaller areas was called Deshkulkarni, or Deshpande, or Nadkarni (in the Karnatak)...As work required the incumbent to be a literate man, he was generally a [Brahmin] or a [Chandraseniya] Kayastha Prabhu by caste
^ J. Bloch (1970). Formation of the Marathi Language. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. pp. 318–. ISBN 978-81-208-2322-8.
^ "The Bombay Paragana and Kulkarni Watans' (Abolition) Act 1950" (PDF). Bombay High Court. Retrieved 13 November 2014.

[Kulkarni_Family_History-1] "Kulkarni Family History". Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press. 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2016.

[2] A. Rā Kulakarṇī (2000). Maharashtra: society and culture. Books & Books. p. 74. However, the rural areas were still dominated by the Deshasthas, another sub-caste of the Brahmins. The Kulkarni generally belonged to the rural-based Deshastha community, even under the Chitpavan rule.

[3] Irina Glushkova; Rajendra Vora (eds.). Home, Family and Kinship in Maharashtra. Oxford University Press. p. 118. The wada tells us of a story of three generations of a family called Deshpande who belong to the Deshastha Brahmin caste. ....Spread all over Maharashtra as a result of this process, Deshastha Brahmans held, in particular, the office of Kulkarni.

[4] Bryan Sharpe (1973). Bombay Teachers and the Cultural Role of Cities. University of California, Berkeley. p. 106.

[IWI-5] "Unknown". The Illustrated Weekly of India. Vol. 91 no. 3. Bennett, Coleman & Company. July 1970. p. 12. Generally speaking, excepting names such as Kulkarni, Thackerey, Chitnis, Deshmukh, Deshpande, which are common to many communities in Maharashtra, a C.K.P. can be recognised by his surname.

[6] "The Quarterly Review of Historical Studies - Volume 8". Institute of Historical Studies. 1969: 44. The accountant of the Village was simply known as 'Kulkarni' and that of the Pargana or smaller areas was called Deshkulkarni, or Deshpande, or Nadkarni (in the Karnatak)...As work required the incumbent to be a literate man, he was generally a [Brahmin] or a [Chandraseniya] Kayastha Prabhu by caste

[Bloch1970-7] J. Bloch (1970). Formation of the Marathi Language. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. pp. 318–. ISBN 978-81-208-2322-8.

[8] "The Bombay Paragana and Kulkarni Watans' (Abolition) Act 1950" (PDF). Bombay High Court. Retrieved 13 November 2014.

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