Kumaonis are people from the Kumaon, a region in the Indian Himalayas.
Historical figures
[edit]- Sakaditya, (Sanskrit: शकादित्य IAST: Śakāditya) was a prominent ruler of the Kurmmavan or Kurmmachal,[1][2] historically associated with the Kumaon region in northern India.[3][4]
- Vasudev Katyuri (Kumaoni: वासुदेव कत्यूरी)[5] was the founder and the emperor of the Katyuri dynasty,[6][7] based in Kumaon, Garhwal, Nepal, Kashmir, and Afghanistan[note 1] in the Indian subcontinent.[5][6]
- Baz Bahadur Chand, (Kumaoni: बाज़ बहादुर चंद; 1598 - 1680),[9] born Baz Gusain (बाज़ गुसाईं), was the 50th Maharaja of the Chand Dynasty of Kumaon.
- Jagat Chand, (reigned c. 1708-1720) was the Chand king of Kumaon Kingdom. He ascended throne of Kumaon in 1708 CE after his father King Gyan Chand's death.
- Birbal Negi, was a commander in the Kumaon Kingdom.[10][11][12][13]
Administration
[edit]Defence forces
[edit]
- Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari, Mahavir Chakra awardee. Hero Battle of Tololing, Kargil war
- Vice Admiral Harish Bisht, PVSM, AVSM, ADC former Flag Officer of the Indian Navy.
- Lucky Bisht, former Indian spy.
- Bahadur Singh Bohra, Lawanz Operation: 25 Sep 2008, Ashoka Chakra recipient
- Mohan Nath Goswami, Operation : CI & IS Ops, Sep 03, 2015, Ashoka Chakra recipient
- General Bipin Chandra Joshi, 17th Chief of Army Staff (COAS), First Army Chief from Uttarakhand
- Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi 21st Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
- Captain Ummed Singh Mahra, Operation : Op Orchid, 6 July 1971, Ashoka Chakra recipient
- Mohan Chand Sharma, Batla House Encounter, 19 September 2008, Ashoka Chakra recipient
Politics
[edit]


- Kashi Singh Airy
- Yashpal Arya
- K. C. Singh Baba
- Mohan Singh Bisht
- Ajay Bhatt
- Ganesh Joshi
- Murli Manohar Joshi, He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of which he was the President between 1991 and 1993.
- Puran Chand Joshi, general secretary of the C.P.I. (1935–1947)
- Bhagat Singh Koshyari, governor of Maharashtra, chief minister of Uttarakhand
- Kalu Singh Mahara, freedom fighter, led an anti-British militia in Champawat, during the Indian Rebellion of 1857
- Mahendra Singh Mahra, served as a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha from Uttarakhand (April 2012 to April 2018).
- Badri Datt Pandey, He was popularly known as, and remains remembered in the region as, the Kumaon Kesari.
- Govind Ballabh Pant, freedom fighter, considered one of the architects of modern India
- Hargovind Pant
- Ila Pant
- K. C. Pant, former defence minister and vice chairman of the Planning Commission
- Prakash Pant
- Sheila Irene Pant or Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan, Pakistan
- Bachi Singh Rawat
- Harish Chandra Singh Rawat, M.P. 7th, 8th, 9th Lok Sabha Almora, 15th Lok Sabha Haridwar, C.M. Uttarakhand
- Pradeep Tamta, M.P.
- N. D. Tiwari, three-time Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh(1976–77, 1984–85, 1988–89) and also served once as Chief Minister of Uttarakhand (2002–2007)
- Bipin Chandra Tripathi, Founder of Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, A political party which started Uttarakhand movement, led to formation of state.
Judiciary
[edit]- Prafulla Chandra Pant, author and former judge of the Supreme Court of India, and a former member of the National Human Rights Commission of India
Science and humanities
[edit]
- Ravindra Singh Bisht, Indian archaeologist, Padma Shri recipient
- Anupam Joshi, cyber security expert and Professor
- J. P. Joshi, archaeologist
- Lal Mani Joshi, Buddhist scholar
- M. C. Joshi, Indian archaeologist who served as Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from 1990 to 1993.
- Pooran Chand Joshi, social anthropologist
- Shri Krishna Joshi, physicist
- Yashodhar Mathpal, archaeologist, painter, curator, Gandhian and Rock art conservationist.
- Janardan Ganpatrao Negi, theoretical geophysicist
- Ghananand Pande, scientist
- Govind Chandra Pande, Indian scholar, philosopher and historian of the Vedic and Buddhist periods
- M. C. Pant, radiation oncologist
- Nilamber Pant, space pioneer
- Krishna Singh Rawat, surveyor cartographer
- Nain Singh Rawat, C.I.E., first person to survey Tibet
- Dalip Kumar Upreti, lichenologist
- Khadg Singh Valdiya, geologist and environmentalist
Journalism and literature
[edit]

- Uma Bhatt
- Namita Gokhale
- Namrata Joshi, Journalist[14]
- Manohar Shyam Joshi
- Manoj Joshi
- Prasoon Joshi, lyricist, poet, advertiser; chief executive offer and chairman of McCann World group India
- Shekhar Joshi
- Shailesh Matiyani
- Mrinal Pande
- Gaura Pant, who wrote under the name Shivani
- Pushpesh Pant, Indian historian and food critic
- Sumitranandan Pant
- Shekhar Pathak, historian
- Girish Tiwari, also known as Girda
Music
[edit]- Dev Negi, Bollywood Playback Singer
- Pawandeep Rajan, Indian Idol 2020, Season 12 winner
- B. K. Samant, folk singer
- Mohan Upreti, folk singer, composer of the classic Kumaoni song Bedu Pako Baro Masa
- Naima Khan Upreti
Sports
[edit]
- Chandraprabha Aitwal, mountaineer, Padma Shri, Arjun and Rung Ratna Awardee. Tenzing Norgay Lifetime Achievement Award
- Ekta Bisht, cricketer
- Kavinder Bisht, boxer
- Madhumita Bisht, badminton
- Unmukt Chand, cricketer
- Rohit Danu, footballer
- Deepak Dhapola, cricketer
- MS Dhoni, cricketer (former captain of Indian cricket team, born to Kumaoni parents)[15]
- Kamlesh Nagarkoti, cricketer
- Mir Ranjan Negi, hockey player
- Pawan Negi, cricketer
- Manish Pandey, cricketer
- Rishabh Pant, cricketer
- Harish Chandra Singh Rawat, 1965 Everester, Padma Shree recipient (1965)
- Lakshya Sen, badminton
- Anirudh Thapa football
Films and theatre
[edit]
- Sapna Awasthi, Bollywood playback singer
- Nidhi Bisht, casting director
- Gopal Datt, actor and writer
- Roop Durgapal, Indian television actress, best known for her role as Sanchi in the serial Balika Vadhu
- Sukirti Kandpal, television actress
- Vinod Kapri, filmmaker
- Hemant Pandey, actor
- Nitesh Pandey, actor
- Nirmal Pandey, actor
- Sudhanshu Pandey, actor
- Sudhir Pandey, actor
- Diksha Panth, Indian film actress
- Disha Patani, actress
- Sunita Rajwar, film, television and stage actress who graduated from the National School of Drama
- B. M. Shah, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award winner
- Mohan Upreti, dramatist
- Naima Khan Upreti, dramatist
Humanitarian
[edit]
- Dan Singh Bisht, billionaire, philanthropist
- Lakshman Singh Jangpangi, former trade agent
- Deep Joshi, social activist, recipient of Padma Shri.
- Vinayak Lohani, National Award for Child Welfare 2011
- Lalit Pande, social worker, Padma Shri recipient
- Kamla Pant, social activist
- Ridhima Pandey, activist for action against climate change
Business
[edit]- Ranjan Pant, chief executive officer, advisor, global strategy management consultant and a change management expert
- Dan Singh Bisht, billionaire, philanthropist
- Muktesh Pant, former chief executive officer of Yum China.
Spiritual Leaders
[edit]- Baba Hari Dass, yoga master, silent monk, and commentator of Indian scriptural tradition of Dharma and Moksha
- Satyananda Saraswati, Sannyasin, yoga teacher and guru
Notes
[edit]- ^ The Katyuri dynasty, part of the Solar lineage, ruled a vast region from Nepal to Kabul about 2,500 years ago. Originating in Uttarkoshal, they later formed a distinct kingdom in Kumaon. Known for their influence, they possibly ruled before or after the Khasa kings, with Kanakdeva being a notable ruler. [8]
References
[edit]- ^ Newall, David J. F. (1984). The Highlands of India: Strategically considered, with special reference to their colonization as reserve circles, military, industrial, and sanitary. Logos Press.
- ^ Archaeological Survey of India Report. Indological Book House. 1970.
- ^ Chopra, Prabha (1976). Delhi Gazetteer. The Unit.
- ^ Gopal, Dr Krishna (2003). Fairs and Festivals of India. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-212-0810-9.
- ^ a b Miśra, Nityānanda (1994). Source Materials of Kumauni History. Shree Almora Book Depot. ISBN 978-81-85865-24-9.
- ^ a b Hāṇḍā, Omacanda (2002). History of Uttaranchal. Indus Publishing. ISBN 978-81-7387-134-4.
- ^ Pāṇḍe, Badarī Datta (1993). History of Kumaun: English Version of "Kumaun Ka Itihas". Shyam Prakashan. p. 151. ISBN 978-81-85865-01-0.
- ^ Pāṇḍe, Badarī Datta (1993). History of Kumaun: English Version of "Kumaun Ka Itihas". Shyam Prakashan. pp. 150–152. ISBN 978-81-85865-01-0.
- ^ Pandey, Badri Dutt (1993). History of Kumaon (Volume 1 ed.). Almora, Uttarakhand, India: Shree Almora Book Depot. ISBN 81-900 209-4-3.
- ^ Atkinson, Edwin Thomas (1998). The Himalayan Gazetteer. Bhavana Books & Prints.
- ^ Hāṇḍā, Omacanda (2002). History of Uttaranchal. Indus Publishing. ISBN 978-81-7387-134-4.
- ^ Oudh (India), United Provinces of Agra and (1922). District Gazetteers of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh: Naini Tal. Supdt., Government Press, United Provinces.
- ^ Vaishṇava, Yamunādatta (1983). Himalayan Districts of Uttar Pradesh: Land and People. Sri Almora Book Depot.
- ^ "Namrata Joshi Movie Reviews & Previews - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "No one in Mahi's ancestral village will watch 'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story'". CatchNews.com. Retrieved 1 February 2020.