Sehgal

Sehgal, also spelled Segal, Saigol, Sahgal or Saigal, is a Punjabi Khatri surname, originating from Punjab in India and Pakistan. ^[1]

Origins and history

The surname Sehgal is traditionally associated with the Punjabi Khatri community, a prominent mercantile and warrior class in North India, particularly in Punjab. ^[2]

Following the Partition of India in 1947, many Hindu families bearing the surname Sehgal migrated to India, while Muslim families remained in Pakistan. This period was particularly challenging for the Arora-Khatri and Sikh communities, who faced displacement and had to rebuild their lives in new environments. ^[3]

Notable people

Art

• Amarnath Sehgal (1922–2007), Indian sculptor
• Deep Sehgal, British filmmaker
• Kabir Sehgal, American composer, navy officer and financial executive
• Kiran Segal (born 1944), Indian classical dancer
• Ikram Sehgal (born 1946), Pakistani Army officer, security expert and defence analyst
• Ramesh Saigal, Indian film director, producer, screenwriter and actor
• Nayantara Sahgal (born 1927), Indian author
• Tino Sehgal (born 1976), British-German artist of Indian origin

Business

• Azam Saigol (1951–2018), Pakistani businessman and politician
• Rafique Saigol (1933–2003), Pakistani businessman and politician
• Vivek Chaand Sehgal (born 1957), Indian-Australian billionaire businessman

Entertainment

• Akashdeep Saigal (borm 1974), Indian TV actor, BiggBoss contestant
• Amit Saigal (1965–2012), Indian rock musician
• Baba Sehgal (born 1965), rapper and actor
• Dhruv Sehgal (born 1990), Indian actor, writer and director
• K. L. Saigal (1904–1947), Indian actor and singer
• Mohit Sehgal (born 1985), Indian actor
• Monica Sehgal (born 1990), Indian actress
• Parvati Sehgal (born 1990), Indian actress
• Sayyeshaa Saigal (born 1997), Indian actress
• Sharmin Segal, Indian actress
• Shashikala Saigal (1932–2021), Indian actress
• Sonal Sehgal (born 1981), Indian actress
• Sonnalli Seygall (born 1989), Indian actress and model
• Sumeet Saigal (born 1966), Indian actor
• Zohra Sehgal (1912–2014), Indian actress, dancer and choreographer

Freedom struggle

• Lakshmi Sahgal (1914–2012), Indian Independence revolutionary
• Manmohini Zutshi Sahgal (1909–1994), Indian freedom fighter
• Prem Sahgal (1917–1992), Indian independence activist, served in the Azad Hind Fauj

Law and journalism

• Gita Sahgal (born 1956), Indian writer and journalist
• Parul Sehgal (born 1981), American literary critic, editor and columnist at The New York Times Book Review
• Rubina Saigol (1955–2016), Pakistani feminist scholar and activist
• Sabina Sehgal Saikia (1963–2008), Indian food journalist
• Sangita Dhingra Sehgal (born 1958), Indian judge

Politics

• Amar Singh Sahgal (1903–1970), Indian politician

Science

• Amita Sehgal, American molecular biologist at the University of Pennsylvania
• Bittu Sahgal (born 1947), Indian environmental activist, writer and conservationist
• Narender K. Sehgal (1940–2020), Indian physicist, scientific administrator, and science populariser
• Sunil Saigal, Indian-born American engineer, dean of the Newark College of Engineering
• Surendra Nath Sehgal (1932–2003), Indian-American microbiologist and pharmaceutical scientist
• Suri Sehgal (born 1934), Indian-American crop scientist, seedsman, philanthropist

Sports

• Ravi Sehgal (born 1971), Indian cricketer

See also

• Sahgalabad, a small town in Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan
• Saigol Group (pronounced as Sehgal Group), a group of companies owned by the Saigol family in Pakistan
• Segal (company), human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York

References

1. Hanks, Patrick (2003-05-08). Dictionary of American Family Names: 3-Volume Set. Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN   978-0-19-508137-4.
2. "Punjabi Khatri Gotras". Arora Khatri. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
3. "Partition and the Khatri Community". Arora Khatri. Retrieved 14 January 2025.