Joshi

Joshi
Origin
Language(s)	Sanskrit
Word/name	South Asia
Derivation	Jyotisa
Meaning	Astrologer
Other names
Variant form(s)	Josi, Jyoshi, Joshee
See also	Bhatt, Pathak, Pandey, Tripathi, Upreti, Tiwari, Jyotishi

Last updated September 25, 2025

Joshi is a surname used by the Brahmin (caste) in India and Nepal. Joshi is also sometimes spelled as Jyoshi. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word Jyotishi meaning "astrologer" or a person who practices jyotisha . Jyotisha refers to Hindu astrology and astronomy and is derived from jyotish ("light bringer or reflect light like sun").^[1]

Notable individuals

List of people with Joshi surname, who may or may not be associated with Brahmin caste.

Politicians, civil servants, and military

Alok Joshi, Indian police officer and intelligence agency chief
A. C. Joshi (1908–1971), Indian botanist and Civil Service officer
Banwari Lal Joshi (1936–2017), Indian civil servant and state governor
Bhanu Bhakta Joshi, Nepalese politician
Bhojraj Joshi, Nepalese politician
B.C. Joshi (1935–1994), Chief of the Indian Army
C. P. Joshi, Indian politician (Indian National Congress), former Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Govt. of India
Devendra Kumar Joshi, Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
Govinda Raj Joshi, Nepalese politician (Nepali Congress) and former Minister
Hari Dev Joshi, 11th, 16th and 18th chief minister Of Rajasthan
Hora Prasad Joshi, Nepalese politician
Manohar Joshi, 12th chief minister of Maharashtra
Murli Manohar Joshi, Indian politician (Bharatiya Janta Party), chairman, Public Accounts Committee of the parliament
Nabindra Raj Joshi, Nepali politician
Pralhad Joshi, Indian politician (BJP)
Puran Chand Joshi, Indian communist leader
Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Indian politician (BJP)
Sharad Anantrao Joshi, Indian agricultural activist and politician
Suresh Joshi (RSS) (born 1947), former Sarkaryavah of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a right-wing Hindutva paramilitary organisation
Yogesh Kumar Joshi, Indian army, Chief of staff of Northern army command

Writers, educators, and scholars

Anandi Gopal Joshi (1865–1887), first Indian woman to be awarded a western medicine degree
Angur Baba Joshi (1932–2020), Nepalese scholar, first female School Principal of Nepal
Anil R. Joshi (1940–2025), Gujarati-language poet and essayist
Anupam Joshi, American cybersecurity expert and Professor and Chair of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at the University of Maryland
Aravind Joshi, Professor of Computer and Cognitive Science at the University of Pennsylvania
Arun Joshi, Indian novelist
Chintaman Vinayak Joshi, Marathi humorist, author of "Chimanrao" series of books
Girija Prasad Joshi, Nepalese Newari language writer
Indra Joshi, British physician
Lakshman Shastri Joshi, Indian scholar of Sanskrit, Hindu Dharma, and a Marathi literary critic
Mahadevshastri Joshi, Marathi writer
Mangal Raj Joshi, Nepalese royal astrologer
Manohar Shyam Joshi, post-modern Hindi writer and Father of Indian soap operas
Prasoon Joshi, Hindi lyricist
Prem Lal Joshi, Indian research scholar of Accounting and writer
Ramlal Joshi, Nepalese author and writer
Ruchir Joshi, author and filmmaker
S. T. Joshi, Indian-American editor, critic, and scholar
Satya Mohan Joshi (1920–2022), Nepalese author and writer, first recipient of Madan Puraskar
Sharad Joshi, Hindi writer and satirist, Padma Shri awardee
Shekhar Joshi, Hindi author
Shukraraj Shastri (born Shukra Raj Joshi), Nepalese author, social reformer and political martyr
Suresh Joshi, Gujarati poet, writer and literary critic
Sushma Joshi, Nepalese writer and filmmaker
Umashankar Joshi, Gujarati poet

Artists and performers

Aashirman DS Joshi, Nepalese actor
Anshuman Joshi, Marathi actor
Ayushman Joshi, Nepalese actor
Bhimsen Joshi, Bharat Ratna, vocalist of Hindustani classical music
Chetan Joshi, flautist
Damayanti Joshi, Kathak dancer and guru
Dev Joshi, Indian television actor
Dilip Joshi (born 1969), Hindi and Gujarati actor
Gajananrao Joshi, violinist and vocalist Hindustani classical music
Gayatri Joshi, Indian Actress
Gulki Joshi (born 1980), Indian television actress
Hardeek Joshi indian television actor
Indira Joshi, British Indian actor
Indira Joshi, Nepali singer and model
Jitendra Joshi , Marathi Actor
Malina Joshi, Nepali beauty pageant and model
Manoj Joshi (born 1945), Gujarati, Marathi and Hindi Actor
Manasi Joshi Roy (born 1968), Indian television actress
Nivedita Joshi, Marathi actress
Pallavi Joshi (born 1969), Indian Actress, winner of National award for the film Woh Chokri
Poonam Joshi (born 23 October 1970), Indian television actress
Prasoon Joshi (born September 1971), Indian lyricist
Purbi Joshi (born 1974), Indian actress
Rohan Joshi Indian Stand-up comedian, performer
Santosh Joshi, vocalist of Hindustani classical music
Sharman Joshi (born 1979), Bollywood actor
Shikha Joshi (1976-2015), Indian actress who committed suicide
Shivangi Joshi (born 1998), Indian television actress
Spruha Joshi, Marathi actress
Swwapnil Joshi (born 1977), Marathi actor
Tulip Joshi, Indian Actress, model
V Joshi, (AKA Joshiy) Indian director known for his Malayalam films
Vinayak Joshi, Kannada actor

Sports

Aniruddha Joshi (born 1987), Indian cricketer
C. G. Joshi (born 1931), Indian cricketer
Harshvardhan Joshi, Indian mountaineer
Naresh Joshi, Nepalese football
Sunil Joshi, cricketer who played for India national cricket team as a left arm spinner in one day internationals and test match cricket
Sunil Lal Joshi, Nepali Olympic weightlifter
Uday Joshi, Indian cricketer who played for Sussex County Cricket Club

Social service

Narayan Malhar Joshi, Indian trade union leader and founder of the Social service league
Nirmala Joshi, Nepalese Catholic sister, former head at Missionaries of Charity

References

↑ James Lochtefeld (2002), "Jyotisha" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A–M, Rosen Publishing, ISBN 0-8239-2287-1, pages 326–327
↑ Office of the Registrar General [India] (1968). Census of India, 1961. Vol. 8, Part 6, Issue 10. Manager of Publications. p. 33.

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[jameslochtefeldsca326-1] James Lochtefeld (2002), "Jyotisha" in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. 1: A–M, Rosen Publishing, ISBN 0-8239-2287-1, pages 326–327

[joshi-2] Office of the Registrar General [India] (1968). Census of India, 1961. Vol. 8, Part 6, Issue 10. Manager of Publications. p. 33.

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[2]