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]

Joshi is a common family name in Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Goa and Uttar Pradesh in India.^[2]

Notable individuals[edit]

Politicians, civil servants and military[edit]

• 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
• General 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 (Shetkari Sanghatana)
• Lieutenant General Yogesh Kumar Joshi, Indian army, Chief of staff of Northern army command

Writers, educators and scholars[edit]

• 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
• 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[edit]

• 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
• Indira Joshi, British Indian actor
• Indira Joshi, Nepali singer and model
• 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 1995), 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[edit]

• Aniruddha Joshi, 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[edit]

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

References[edit]