Shrestha
Śrēṣṭha is a
Nepalese surname meaning "noble” or "great" in
Sanskrit or "warrior" in
Nepal Bhasa. Shrestha is one of the
eponym surnames used by those belonging to the caste of
Shresthas who prior to the unification of modern Nepal formed the ruling and administrative
Kshatriya castes in the court of the
Malla kings of Nepal. They also counted among them the trading and business
Vaishya castes, and were the
pre-eminent traders in between Nepal and
Tibet. After the unification of Nepal, many Shresthas took up business and trading since their former positions as administrators and courtiers of the royal
Malla court was supplanted by the invading
Gorkha forces mainly of the
Khas tribe.
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