KC (surname)
KC (or K.C, K.C.) is a surname of medieval origin anglicized as an abbreviation of Khatri Chhetri in Nepal.[1][2] With its origin in the 12th century CE, the archaic form of the surname "Khatri" was ascribed as a local endonym for the progeny of Brahmins from medieval India and Khas mothers of the Middle Himalayas in medieval western Nepal.[1][2] The first legal code of Nepal of 1854 formalized this long standing social tradition by assigning the children of Brahmin fathers and Kshatriya (Chhetri) mothers as Khatri Chhetris.[1][2][3][4] In the political history of Nepal, large number of Khatris were Sardar (or the Chief of Nepalese administration and military) of Gorkha Kingdom and Kingdom of Nepal, and educated Khatri families with linguistic expertise in British English, Hindi and Nepali languages were pivotal to Nepal's diplomatic mission in the western world during the 19th and 20th centuries.[5][6]
History
Dislodged by the Ghurid conquest of India and subsequent Delhi Sultanate, Brahmins from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Punjab and North India began emigrating to the hills of western Nepal seeking refuge primarily after the 12th century CE where they encountered another Indo-Aryan tribe called Khasas. The progeny resulting from the marriages of Brahmin men and Khas women were called Khatris.[2]
In contrast to the British rule in India and subsequent British Raj, Jang Bahadur Rana promulgated the legal code of Nepal called Muluki Ain in 1854 that brought codified Hindu customary law throughout the country enforcing social and matrimonial structures within Hinduism.[7][8] As per this, the children born from the marriage of a Brahmin father and a Kshatriya (Chhetri) mother were labelled as "Khatri or Khatri Chhetri", indicating that they were the descendants of a marriage between a Brahmin man with a Khas/Chhetri woman in their ascendant patriline.[8][1]
Khatris have played a vital role in the unification of Kingdom of Nepal and thereafter as administrators, governors, political leaders and military commanders.[5] Large number of Khatri commanders became governors (Kaji) of various regions during the unification of Nepal by King Prithvi Narayan Shah; Kaji Ram Khatri, Kaji Bhim Khatri, Kaji Bir khatri and Kaji Hari Khatri each governed newly consolidated Kingdom of Palpa, regions surrounding Gorkha and Kathmandu valley, central Nepal and hilly regions of eastern Nepal respectively.[9] Between 1768 and 1814, Chandrabhan Khatri, Ranabir Khatri, Shiva Narayan Khatri, Gaja Simha Khatri, Damu Khatri and Vamsha Raj Khatri were appointed as the Chief of administration and military, called Sardar, by king Prithvi Narayan Shah and subsequent Shah kings after the merging of Kingdom of Gorkha into the unified Kingdom of Nepal.[10] During the Rana dynasty rule, Kaji Bishnu Khatri was appointed to govern hill regions of eastern Nepal, Kaji Tribhuvan Khatri governed Terai in a close proximity to British India and Kaji Bhairav Khatri governed hill regions of the western frontier.[9]
In 1850 AD, Khatris were among the first Nepalese to travel to England and France as a part of a royal mission.[11][6] Three Khatri commanders of the Nepalese army namely Kaji Karbir Khatri, Lieutenant Lal Singh Khatri and Lieutenant Karbir Khatri accompanied Nepal's ruler Jung Bahadur Rana's visit to Europe and Lieutenant Lal Singh Khatri, among them, was also the first Nepalese to study English in the British Residency at the Court of Nepal.[6][12] As Nepal opened up to the western world, Khatris were pivotal to carry out English language administrative affairs and international correspondences of the 19th and 20th century.[6][13] In the transformative era of the mid 1950s, Khagendra Bahadur KC served as the first English secretary of the government of the Kingdom of Nepal after the establishment of constitutional monarchy and the fall of the Rana Dynasty rule.[13] Similarly, Keshar Bahadur KC served as Nepal's first Ambassador to China during the Chairmanship of Mao Zedong in the mid-1950s.[14][15] Throughout most of the 1960s and 1970s, former Major General Padma Bahadur Khatri served as the Ambassador of Nepal to the United States working with the administrations of American presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, and also delivered the application for the membership of Nepal in the United Nations and later served twice as the President of the United Nations Security Council.[16][17] The over time exposure of Khatris to British English led to the anglicization of surname into a formally designated abbreviation of KC (or K.C.), from its original Khatri Chhetri. KCs are prominently visible in politics, cinema, army, arts, education, medicine, business, fashion and sports of Nepal, among others.
Notable KCs
- Guru Maharaj Narayan Gautam Khatri aka "Swami Hamsananda", Hindu saint and founder of prominent Swargadwari Temple of Nepal in the 19th century[18][19]
- Queen Maharani Nanda Kumari Khatri, wife of Nepal's ruler Jung Bahadur Rana[20]
- Lal Singh Khatri, first Nepalese person to study English, army Lieutenant and an entourage of 1850's Jung Bahadur Rana's visit to Britain and France[12]
- Shiva Narayan Khatri, Kaji of Nepal of 18th century and military commander of the unification of Nepal under king Rana Bahadur Shah
- Karbir Khatri, Kaji of Nepal of 19th century and entourage of 1850's Jung Bahadur Rana's visit to Britain and France
- Sanak Singh Khatri, 19th century military commander of Nepal and brother-in-law of Nepal's ruler Jung Bahadur Rana
- Bhawani Singh Khatri, Governor (Sardar) of Kingdom of Nepal of 19th century under King Rajendra Bikram Shah
- Ranabir Khatri, Governor (Sardar) of Gorkha Kingdom of 18th century
- Indraman Khatri, Governor (Sardar) of Kingdom of Nepal of 18-19th century under Queen Rajendra Rajya Laxmi and Bahadur Shah
- Gaja Simha Khatri, Governor (Sardar) of Gorkha Kingdom/Kingdom of Nepal of 19th century
- Vamsha Raj Khatri, Governor (Sardar) of Gorkha Kingdom, fought in the Anglo-Nepalese war
- Chandrabhan Khatri, Governor (Sardar) of Gorkha Kingdom and Kingdom of Nepal of 18th-19th century
- Kul Bahadur KC, late Nepalese Poet and laureate
- Hira Singh Khatri, first Director of Nepalese Film industry with 1964's movie Aama
- Surya Bahadur KC, late industrialist and founder of Machhapuchhre Bank Ltd, Rara Noodle, 'KC Group Nepal', and Parliamentarian of Nepal [21][22]
- Keshar Bahadur KC, Nepal's first Ambassador to China during the Chairmanship of Mao Zedong[14][15]
- Padma Bahadur Khatri, late former foreign minister of Nepal, President of the United Nations Security Council and Nepalese Ambassador to the United States
- Khagendra Bahadur KC, first English secretary of the Kingdom of Nepal of mid-20th century
- Nayan Bahadur Khatri, longest serving late Chief Justice of Nepal
- Rajendra Chhetri (KC), former head of Nepal Army and son of late colonel Gopal Bahadur Khatri Chhetri, Aide de Camp (ADC) to King Mahendra of Nepal[23][24]
- Pradeep Jung KC, vice-chief and Lieutenant General of Nepal Army[25]
- Arjun Narasingha K.C., former five-time Minister of Nepal and Senior Nepali Congress Leader
- Chitra Bahadur K.C., former Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal and chairman of the Rashtriya Jana Morcha Party
- Dr. Govinda K.C., Nepalese orthopedic surgeon and philanthropic activist
- Jyoti KC, first Nepalese-American astronaut and Commander crew of NASA's Sirius mission[26][27]
- Dr. Kedar Narsingh KC, President of Nepal Medical Association and former Director of the National Tuberculosis Center[28]
- Phuspa Ram KC, former Head of Nepal Police[29]
- Atithi Gautam K.C, youngest singer in the world to release a professional solo album
- Sugarika KC, former Miss Nepal World and television host[30]
- Ashma KC, former Miss Nepal World[31]
- Sumana KC, former Miss Nepal Earth [32]
- Roshni Khatri, former Miss Nepal Earth and actress[33]
- Dikshya KC, former Mrs. Nepal World[34]
- Karishma K.C. (Manandhar), one of the most prominent Nepalese actress[35][36]
- Bhuwan K.C., Nepalese actor, director, producer, singer and filmmaker
- Anmol K.C., actor and producer
- Kristi KC (Mainali), one of the prominent Nepalese actress of the 80s and 90s[37][38]
- Renu KC, late mother of Nepalese movie superstar Rajesh Hamal[39][40]
- Sushant KC, Nepalese singer, songwriter and music producer[41][42]
- Avantika Khatri, Indian Bollywood actress, producer, and director
- Nandita K.C., Nepalese actress
- Bhavna Khatri, Indian Bollywood actress
- Sita KC, Nepalese singer
- Sandhya KC, Nepalese actress[43]
- Sushmita KC, Nepalese actress[44]
- Kiran KC, Nepalese actor
- Rajani KC, Nepalese actress[45]
- Sulakshana Khatri, Indian Bollywood actress
- Jiya KC, Nepalese and Bollywood actress and producer[46]
- Uma Devi Khatri, late Indian Bollywood actress
- Jenisha KC, Nepalese actress[47]
- Uttam KC, Nepalese actor and President of the Nepal Film Artists Association (FAAN)[48]
- Naresh Kumar KC, Nepalese movie Director[49]
- Dinesh KC, Nepalese actor[50]
- Surendra KC, Nepalese actor[51]
- Dipendra KC, Nepalese Director
- Himanchal Raj KC, winner of Mister Nepal 2025
- Dr. Khadga KC, Rector of Tribhuvan University[52]
- Madan Khatri Chhetri (KC), Royal Nepal army Lieutenant Colonel glorified as "Captain Madan KC" in the Hollywood movie Everest[53][54]
- Dr. Nagendra Bahadur KC, former Major general (Nepal Army) and Director general of Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences [55]
- Gaurab Kumar KC, Major general of Nepal Army[56]
- Kiran K.C, former Major general of Nepal Army[57]
- Kul Prasad KC, Chief Minister of Lumbini Province of Nepal
- Karan KC, Nepalese cricketer at Nepal national cricket team
- Jit Bahadur K.C., first Nepalese athlete to win an international medal in sports (1971)[58]
- Shreedhar Khatri, Nepalese Ambassador to the United States[59]
- Sarala KC, President of Nepal Nursing Council[60]
- Kamal Khatri, Nepalese singer
- Nilam K.C., former Minister of Women, Children and Senior Citizens of Nepal
- Sher Bahadur KC, former president of Nepal Bar Association[61]
- Menuka Khand K.C., Deputy speaker of Lumbini Province
- Krishna Khatri, Nepalese football player of national women's team
- Jagat Bahadur KC, Vice-Chancellor of Purbanchal University[62]
- Sajan KC, Nepalese entomologist
- Rajendra Kumar KC, former minister of Nepal and leader of Nepali Congress Party [63]
- Dr. Badri KC, former President of Non Resident Nepali Association (NRNA)[64]
- Man Prasad Khatri, Nepalese politician and former Member of Parliament
- Neelam KC, president of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF-Nepal) [65]
- Phupu Lhamu Khatri (born 1996), Nepalese Olympic judoka
- Buddhi Bahadur KC, Executive Director of state-owned Radio Nepal[66]
- Hira Chandra KC, State Minister of Health and Population of Nepal
- Bedraj KC, Vice-Chancellor of Pokhara University[67]
- Bal Bahadur K.C., former minister of Nepal
- Sunil KC, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NMB Bank Nepal[68]
- Rajiv Khatri, Nepalese journalist and Member of Parliament, Pratinidhi Sabha
- Ramesh Kumar KC, former chairman of Agricultural Development Bank of Nepal.[69]
- Manoj Kumar KC, band member of 1974 AD
- Dr. Fatta Bahadur KC, former chairman of National Insurance Board of Nepal (Rastriya Beema Sansthan)[70]
- Indra Bahadur Khatri, Nepalese politician
- Dhruba KC, former coach of Nepal national football team
- Roshan KC, former chairman of Machhapuchhre Bank Ltd[22]
- Kamala Sen-Khatri, Nepalese language activist
- Hema Belbase KC, Nepalese politician
- Dipak Bahadur K.C., member of the 1st Nepalese Constituent Assembly
- Bhagawati Khatri, Nepalese sport shooter at the 2000 Olympics
- Anjan KC, national football player of Nepal
- Rupesh KC, national football player of Nepal
- Sushil KC, national football player of Nepal
- Gyanu K.C., former Parliamentarian of Nepal
- Sunil K.C., politician (Rastriya Swatantra Party) and Member of Parliament from Kathmandu
- Dharmaraj K.C., politician (Rastriya Swatantra Party) and Member of Parliament
- Jagadiswor Narsingh KC, Nepalese politician and former member of Constituent Assembly
- Manoj KC, Head of Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police
Fictional characters
- Fenisha Khatri, in the British television series Casualty[71]
- Captain Madan KC, in the Hollywood movie Everest based on real life story of Lieutenant Colonel Madan Khatri Chhetri (KC) of Nepal Army[72]
See also
- Khatri (surname)
- Khatri, a caste originating from the Malwa and Majha areas of Punjab region of the Indian Subcontinent
Citations
- 1 2 3 4 Subedi, Madhusudan (2011). "Caste System: Theories and Practices in Nepal". Himalayan Journal of Sociology and Anthropology. 4: 134–159. doi:10.3126/hjsa.v4i0.4672. ISSN 2382-5073.
- 1 2 3 4 "Brahman and Chhetri of Nepal | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
- ↑ Bista, Rachana (2019). Dewali through sociological lens, ancestor worship among the chettri of Gaurada in Nepal. Gangtok, India: Sikkim University. p. 35.
- ↑ "Nepalese caste system". www.linguateca.pt. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
- 1 2 Kings and Political Leaders of Gorkhali Empire. Regmi Research Series. M.C. Regmi, 1995. Available at https://endconflict.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2014-01-15-mahesh_c_regmi_kings-and-political-leaders-of-the-gorkhali-empire.pdf
- 1 2 3 4 "Jang Bahadur in Europe: the first Nepalese mission to the West". dokumen.pub. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
- ↑ Khatiwoda, R. 2021. The Mulukī Ain of 1854-Nepal's first legal code. Available at: https://www.academia.edu/80844266/Muluk%C4%AB_Ain_of_1854_Nepal_s_First_Legal_Code
- 1 2 Doherty, Victor S. "The Organizing Principles of Brahmin-Chetri Kinship". INAS Journal: 28.
- 1 2 The Regmi Research Series (Year 1-21), Cornell University Library; Available at : https://ecommons.cornell.edu/collections/1284cf5e-b57c-471b-b68b-3058914104b8
- ↑ Kings and Political Leaders of the Gorkhali Empire 1768-1814, Regmi, M.(1995); Orient Longman Limited Press. Available at:https://pahar.in/pahar/Books%20and%20Articles/Nepal/1995%20Kings%20and%20Political%20Leaders%20of%20the%20Gorkhali%20Empire%201768-1814%20by%20Regmi%20s.pdf
- ↑ Waterhouse, David (2004-10-28). The Origins of Himalayan Studies: Brian Houghton Hodgson in Nepal and Darjeeling. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-38364-1.
- 1 2 Adhikari, Krishna (2017-01-01). "The First Nepali in England: Motilal Singh and PM Jang Bahadur Rana". European Bulletin of Himalayan Research.
- 1 2 "'Kranti and the Coup': English translation of Khagendra Bahadur KC's memoir launched". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
- 1 2 "Seven decades of Nepal-China relations: A comprehensive timeline (1955-2026)". Nepal News. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
- 1 2 "Mind the gap". Retrieved 2026-08-10.
- ↑ "New Permanent Representative of Nepal Presents Credentials | UN Photo". media.un.org. 1964-10-15. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
- ↑ "Padma Bahadur Khatri, a former foreign minister and ambassador... - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
- ↑ Yadav, Ram (2020-02-10). "SWARGADWARI, Pyuthan - Nepal Tourism Hub". Retrieved 2024-08-06.
- ↑ INS, स्वतन्त्र समाचार सेवा / (2023-05-18). "धरतीको स्वर्ग अर्थात् स्वर्गद्वारी !". INS. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
- ↑ John Whelpton. 1987. Nepali Politics and the Rise of Jang Bahadur Rana, 1830-1857. Page 284. University of London. Available at: https://doi.org/10.25501/SOAS.00028837
- ↑ "Lawmaker Surya Bahadur KC, who founded Rara noodle, no more - OnlineKhabar English News". 2020-11-03. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
- 1 2 "Former Chairman". Machhapuchchhre Bank Limited. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ↑ "Sri Lanka Army - Defender of the Nation". www.army.lk. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ↑ "महारथी श्री राजेन्द्र क्षत्री प्रधान सेनापति को संक्षिप्त जीवनी « Naya Bato". 2017-04-11. Archived from the original on 2017-04-11. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ↑ "COAS Sigdel awards Lieutenant General insignia to KC". english.ratopati.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ↑ "Space training completed by a Nepali Woman". Nepalnews; Available at https://nepalnews.com/s/nation/space-training-completed-by-a-nepali-women
- ↑ Republica. "Jyoti KC certified as an analogue astronaut". My City. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
- ↑ Nepal, Medical Council (2022). "Past executive-tenure years". Nepal Medical Association. Archived from the original on 2022-08-07. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
- ↑ "KC promoted as new IGP of Armed Police Force, insignia presented". रेडियो नेपाल. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
- ↑ "Celebrity Read: What is Sugarika KC, Miss Nepal 2005, currently reading?". myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com. 2024-08-08. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
- ↑ "Ashma Kumari KC crowned Miss Nepal 2024". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2024-08-04.
- ↑ "The journeys and aspirations of Miss Nepal 2024 winners". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ↑ "Miss Nepal - The Hidden Treasure". missnepal.com.np. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ↑ Magazine, New Spolight. "Diksha KC Wins Mrs. Nepal World Tittle". SpotlightNepal. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
- ↑ "Biography Page - Film Development Board". nmdb.film.gov.np. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
- ↑ A message to young Karishma KC from Karishma Manandhar. On air with Sanjay, Podcast (2022). Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5DbQeIWH6Q
- ↑ "Kristi KC Mainali – Nepali Actress | Biography, Career, Works & Profile | ArtistNepal". Artist Nepal. Retrieved 2026-08-01.
- ↑ "Kristi Mainali - Nepali Actress | Biography, Movies & Filmography | The Film Nepal". www.thefilmnepal.com. Retrieved 2026-08-01.
- ↑ Biography, The Digital (2021-08-19). "Rajesh Hamal biography, Nepal's Cinematic Legend". Medium. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ↑ "Nepal & NepaliValentine Day special – Love story of Rajesh Hamal and his parents". Nepal & Nepali. 2017-02-11. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ↑ "How Sushant KC made a mark on Nepali music". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ↑ "Sushant KC – ArtistNepal". artistnepal.com. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
- ↑ "Sandhya Kc". IMDb. Retrieved 2022-04-25.
- ↑ "Sushmita K.C. - Nepali Actress | Biography, Movies & Filmography | The Film Nepal". www.thefilmnepal.com. Retrieved 2026-08-01.
- ↑ "Rajani K.C. | Actor". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
- ↑ "Jiya KC | Biography, Filmography, Age, Height". www.thefilmnepal.com. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
- ↑ "Nepali Movie Database". nmdb.film.gov.np. Retrieved 2025-04-27.
- ↑ "Film Artists Association elects Uttam KC as President - OnlineKhabar English News". 2026-05-18. Retrieved 2026-08-01.
- ↑ "Naresh Kumar Kc | Writer, Director, Editor". IMDb. Archived from the original on 2025-06-09. Retrieved 2026-08-01.
- ↑ "Dinesh Kc". Lens Nepal. Retrieved 2026-08-01.
- ↑ "Surendra K.C. - IMDb". IMDb. Archived from the original on 2019-06-09. Retrieved 2026-08-01.
- ↑ "Prof. Dr. Khadga KC Appointed as Rector of Tribhuvan University". Edusanjal. Retrieved 2024-11-14.
- ↑ TranquilKilimanjaro (2024-04-17). "Everest 2015 - The Movie". Tranquil Kilimanjaro. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ↑ "Chhetri, Madan Khatri | Gathering of Eagles Foundation". Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ↑ "Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences | नेपाली सेना स्वास्थ्य विज्ञान संस्थान". www.naihs.edu.np. Archived from the original on 2022-03-19. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
- ↑ "KC promoted to Major General". myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com. 2024-08-08. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ↑ Magazine, New Spolight. "Brigadier General Kiran KC Promoted To Major General Of Nepal Army". SpotlightNepal. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ↑ Republica. "Veteran athlete Jit Bahadur KC felicitated". My Republica. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
- ↑ "Shreedhar Khatri is Nepal's new ambassador to the US - OnlineKhabar English News". 2022-02-27. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
- ↑ "Nepal Nursing Council > About Us > Executive Members". nnc.org.np. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
- ↑ "Mr. Sher Bahadur KC-Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs". aidiaasia.org. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
- ↑ Singh, Rishi (2005-09-17). "Purbanchal VC flays anomaly in UGC policy". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
- ↑ "Farewell programme of Hon. Minister Rajendra Kumar KC and Hon. State Minister Teju Lal Chaudhary of Ministry of Youth and Sports. | युवा तथा खेलकुद मन्त्रालय". moys.gov.np. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ↑ "Introductory meet between NTNC and NRNA". ntnc.org.np. Retrieved 2022-08-14.
- ↑ "PeaceWomen and WILPF-Nepal in Kathmandu". PeaceWomen. 2015-02-03. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ↑ "Radio Nepal's role imperative during times of need: Executive Director KC (audio report)". Radio Nepal. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ↑ "KC appointed as Pokhara University Vice-Chancellor : RajdhaniDaily.com". Ground News. 2024-12-27. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
- ↑ "NMB Bank appoints Mr. Sunil KC as new CEO". sharesansar.com. 2016-12-15. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ↑ "Ramesh Kumar K.C. Appointed Chairman of Agricultural Development Bank | Banksnepal | Banking and financial Info". banksnepal.com. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ↑ "Prof. Dr. Fatta Bahadur KC – Nirdhanorg". Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ↑ "New characters announced in BBC Studios' Casualty, as Osi Okerafor and Elinor Lawless join the cast". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
- ↑ TranquilKilimanjaro (2024-04-17). "Everest 2015 - The Movie". Tranquil Kilimanjaro. Retrieved 2024-08-25.