Kamat

Kamat (or Kamath) is a common surname amongst Hindus of the Konkan coast of India in the states of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra. They usually speak Konkani or Marathi. The word Kamat is believed to be derived from the name of the occupation. Kaamthi means landholder, cultivator or agriculturalist. "Kaamthi" is a contraction of "Kama" (work) + "Maththi" (soil). However, in modern times, the surname is no more linked to the profession.

Variations

"Kamat" is used in Maharashtra, around Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka and Goa. "Kamath" is used around Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka. "Camotim" was used in the erstwhile Portuguese held territories of Salcette and Bardez in Goa but has given way to "Kamat" today.

The variation, "Kamat" or "Camotim" is a common surname of non Brahmins in Konkani and Marathi speaking communities. The variation, "Kamath", is a common surname of Gowd Saraswat Brahmins in Konkani speaking communities. The variation, "Kamath", is believed to be derived from "kaali maTTaachi" which means people from "Kali Math". The intelligence of the Kamaths is attributed to their ancestors, who spent time in the "Math" learning from the goddess Kali.

There are many GSB families, original "Kamat's" from Goa who migrated to Maharashtra in the 16th Century during portuguese rule and they adopted the place name from Goa where they originally belonged to.

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)
*Late Shri. Rangappa Kamat (Hotelier, founder of "Kamat Group of Hotels")
* [http://www.kamat.com/krishna/index.htm Late Dr. K. L. Kamat (a Fullbright scholar, writer, and amateur photographer)]
* Digamber Vasant Kamat - Chief Minister of Goa (2007 to date)
* Krishnanand Kamat - Renowned entomologist and a travel writer in Kannada
* Gavaskar ( "Gavaskar" are original "Kamat's" from Goa, hail from a place called "Gavashi" or Gavasi or Gancim from Old Goa)

ee also

Konkani peopleVivek Kamath - American Express

External links

* [http://www.kamat.com Kamat's Potpourri]