Navaratnas
Encyclopedia
- See NavratnasNavratnasNavratna was the title given originally to nine Public Sector Enterprises identified by the Government of India in 1997 as "public sector companies that have comparative advantages", giving them greater autonomy to compete in the global market so as to "support [them] in their drive to become...
for the corporations honored by the Indian Government.
Navaratnas Nauratan (Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
dvigu nava-ratna- or "nine gems") was a term applied to a group of nine extraordinary people in a emperor's court in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Some well-known groups are in the Raaj Sabha (court) of King Janaka
Janaka
Janaka or Raja Janaka were the kings of Videha Kingdom. Their capital was Mithila, which is believed to be present day Janakpur, Nepal...
, Emperor Vikramaditya
Vikramaditya
Vikramaditya was a legendary emperor of Ujjain, India, famed for his wisdom, valour and magnanimity. The title "Vikramaditya" was later assumed by many other kings in Indian history, notably the Gupta King Chandragupta II and Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya .The name King Vikramaditya is a...
and in Emperor Akbar's darbar.
In the court of Vikramaditya
Nine gems during the reign of VikramadityaChandragupta II
Chandragupta II the Great, very often referred to as Vikramaditya or Chandragupta Vikramaditya in Sanskrit; was one of the most powerful emperors of the Gupta empire in northern India. His rule spanned c...
- KalidasaKalidasaKālidāsa was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language...
, the most notable among all of them. - Vetala BhattaVetala BhattaVetala Bhatta was a Maga Brahmin. He was one of Gem in Navratnas during the reign of Vikramaditya. Navaratnas was a term applied to a group of nine extraordinary people in a king's court in India...
- VarahamihiraVarahamihiraVarāhamihira , also called Varaha or Mihira, was an Indian astronomer, mathematician, and astrologer who lived in Ujjain...
- Vararuchi
- Amarasimha
- DhanvantariDhanvantariDhanvantari is an Avatar of Vishnu from the Hindu tradition. He appears in the Vedas and Puranas as the physician of the gods , and the god of Ayurvedic medicine...
- Bhaktamara StotraBhaktamara StotraBhaktamara Stotra is the most famous of the Jain sanskrit prayers. It was composed by Acharya Manatunga.The name Bhaktamara comes from a combination of two sanskrit names, "Bhakta" and "Amar"...
- Shanku
- Ghatakarpura
In the court of Akbar
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
ruler Akbar, despite his illiteracy, was a great lover of the artists and intellectuals. His passion for knowledge and interest in learning from great minds led him to attract men of genius to his court, known as the nine courtiers of Emperor Akbar or Navratnas.
- Abul FazlAbu'l-Fazl ibn MubarakShaikh Abu al-Fazl ibn Mubarak also known as Abu'l-Fazl, Abu'l Fadl and Abu'l-Fadl 'Allami was the vizier of the great Mughal emperor Akbar, and author of the Akbarnama, the official history of Akbar's reign in three volumes, and a Persian translation of the Bible...
(1551–1602) was the chronicler of Akbar’s rule. He authored the biographical AkbarnamaAkbarnamaThe ' , which literally means Book of Akbar, is the official chronicle of the reign of Akbar, the third Mughal Emperor , commissioned by Akbar himself and written in Persian by his court historian and biographer, Abul Fazl who was one of the nine jewels in Akbar's court...
. Abul Fazl documented the history meticulously, over seven years, in three volumes, the third volume is known as the Ain-i-Akbari and a Persian translation of the Bible. He was also the brother of FaiziFaiziShaikh Abu al-Faiz ibn Mubarak, popularly known by his pen-name, Faizi was a poet of late medieval India. In 1588, he became the Malik-ush-Shu'ara of Akbar's Court. He was the elder brother of Akbar's historian Abul Fazl...
, the poet laureate of emperor Akbar.
- FaiziFaiziShaikh Abu al-Faiz ibn Mubarak, popularly known by his pen-name, Faizi was a poet of late medieval India. In 1588, he became the Malik-ush-Shu'ara of Akbar's Court. He was the elder brother of Akbar's historian Abul Fazl...
(1547–1595) was Abul Fazl’s brother. He was a poet who composed beautiful poetry. His father was Mubarak Nagori, a scholar in the philosophy and literature of GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
as well as in Islamic theology.
- Miyan TansenTansenMia Tansen is considered among the greatest composer-musicians in Hindustani classical music. He was an extraordinarily gifted vocalist, known for a large number of compositions, and also an instrumentalist who popularized and improved the rabab .He was among the Navaratnas at the court of the...
was a singer for King Akbar, born as Ramtanu Pandey, a Hindu Brahmin, in 1506, though some legends give it as 1493, he was a poet himself. He learnt music from Swami HaridasSwami HaridasSwami Haridas was a spiritual poet and classical musician. Credited with a large body of devotional compositions, especially in the Dhrupad style, he is also the founder of the Haridasi school of mysticism, still found today in North India. His work influenced both the classical music and the...
and later from Hazrat Muhammad Ghaus. He was a court musician with the prince of Rewa and later was recruited by Akbar as his court musician. Tansen became a legendary name in India and was the composer of many classical ragas. He was an extraordinarily gifted vocalist, known for a large number of compositions, and also an instrumentalist who popularized and improved the rabab (of Central AsiaCentral AsiaCentral Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
n origin). He was buried in Gwalior, where a tomb has been constructed for him. It is unclear if Tansen converted to Islam.
- Raja BirbalBirbalRaja Birbal was the Grand Vizier of the Mughal court in the administration of the Mughal emperor Akbar. He one of his most trusted members along with being a part of Akbar's inner council of nine advisors, known as the navaratna, a Sanskrit word meaning nine jewels...
(1528–1583) was a poor Hindu BrahminBrahminBrahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
who was appointed to the court of Akbar for his intelligence, and became the court jesterCourt jesterA jester, joker, jokester, fool, wit-cracker, prankster, or buffoon was a person employed to tell jokes and provide general entertainment, typically for a European monarch. Jesters are stereotypically thought to have worn brightly colored clothes and eccentric hats in a motley pattern...
. Born by the name Maheshdas, he was conferred the name Raja Birbal by the Emperor. Birbal's duties in Akbar's court were mostly militaryMilitaryA military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
and administrative but he was also a very close friend of the emperor, who liked Birbal most for his wit and humor. There are many witty stories of exchanges and interactions between the monarch and his minister that are popular today. Birbal was also a poet and his collections under the pen name "Brahma” are preserved in BharatpurBharatpur, IndiaBharatpur is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was founded by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733. Located in the Brij region, Bharatpur was once an impregnable, well-planned and well-fortified city, and the capital of Jat kingdom ruled by Sinsinwar Maharajas.The trio of Bharatpur, Deeg and...
Museum. Raja Birbal died in battle, attempting to quell unrest amongst AfghaniAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
tribes in Northwest India.
- Raja Todar MalRaja Todar MalRaja Todar Mal was born in Laharpur, Uttar Pradesh in a Punjabi Kayastha family, and rose to become the Finance Minister in Akbar's Darbar of the Mughal empire. He was made in charge of Agra and settled in Gujarat. Later, he was made in charge of Gujarat as well. He also managed Akbar's Mint at...
was a Hindu KhatriKhatriKhatri is a caste from the northern Indian subcontinent. Khatris in India are mostly from Punjab, region but later they migrated to regions like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu, Uttarkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber...
/KayasthaKayasthaKayastha or Kayasth or Kayeth is a caste or community of Hindus originating in India. Kayastha means "scribe" in Sanskrit, and has traditionally denoted members of the writer caste....
and was Akbar’s finance minister, who from 1560 onwards overhauled the revenue system in the kingdom. He introduced standard weights and measurements, revenue districts and officers. His systematic approach to revenue collection became a model for the future Mughals as well as the British. Raja Todar Mal was also a warrior who assisted Akbar in controlling the Afghan rebels in Bengal. Todar Mal had developed his expertise in Sher Shah'sSher Shah SuriSher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
employment. In 1582, Akbar bestowed on the raja the title Diwan-I-Ashraf.
- Raja Man Singh was the Kacchwaha Rajah of Amber, a state later known as JaipurJaipurJaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
. He was a trusted general in Akbar's army and was the grandson of Akbar’s father-in-law. His family had been inducted into Mughal hierarchy as amirs (nobles). Raja Man Singh was the foremost ablest among Akbar's military commanders and assisted Akbar in many fronts including holding off advancing Hakim (Akbar’s half-brother, a governor of Kabul) in Lahore. He was also the Mughal viceroyViceroyA viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
of Afghanistan, led campaigns in BiharBiharBihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, OrissaOrissaOrissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
, Deccan and was also the viceroyViceroyA viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
of Bengal.
- Abdul Rahim Khan-I-KhanaAbdul Rahim Khan-I-KhanaKhanzada Mirza Khan Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khana , also known as Rahim was a composer in the times of Mughal emperor Akbar, and one of his main nine ministers in his court, also known as the Navaratnas; he is most known for his Hindi couplets and his books on Astrology...
was a poet was the son of Akbar’s trusted protector and caretaker when he was a teenager, Bairam KhanBairam KhanBairam Khan also Bayram Khan was a important military commander, general of the Mughal army, a powerful statesman and regent at the court of the Mughal emperors Humayun and Akbar.-Background:...
. After Bairam Khan was murdered treacherously, his wife became the second wife of Akbar. He is most known for his HindiHindiStandard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
couplets and his books on Astrology. The village of Khankhana, named after him, is located in the Nawanshahr districtNawanshahr District* http://wikimapia.org/#lat=31.1185556&lon=76.1433434&z=13&l=0&m=a&v=2...
of the state of Punjab in northwest IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
- Fakir Aziao-DinFakir Aziao-DinFaqir Aziao-Din was one of Akbar's chief advisors, and belonged to his inner circle. Akbar regarded his advice in high esteem and included him among the nine gems of his court, or Navratnas.He used to give the Emperor Akbar advice on religious matters....
was a mystic and an advisor. Akbar regarded his advice in high esteem.
- Mullah Do PiazaMullah Do PiazaMullah Do-Piyaza, according to popular folk tales of northern India, was among the Mughal emperor Akbar's chief advisors. Akbar regarded his advice in high esteem and included him among the nine gems of the Mughal court, or Navratnas, as he was known for his intelligence. He was a close competition...
was an advisor to Akbar.
Similar Groups
Many famous emperors in India had courtiers labeled in similar ways. For example, the valuable members of the court of Krishna Deva Raya were termed AstadiggajasAstadiggajas
Astadiggajas is the collective title given to the eight Telugu poets in the court of the emperor Sri Krishna Deva Raya who ruled the Vijayanagara Empire from 1509 until his death in 1529. During his reign, Telugu literature and culture reached its zenith. In his court, eight poets were regarded...
, the eight giants. Lakshman Sen
Lakshman Sen
Lakshman Sen was the fourth king of the Sen dynasty of Bengal, who ruled for about 28 years. Lakshman Sen succeeded his father Ballal Sen...
the ruler of the Sena Empire had Pancharatnas (meaning 5 gems) in his court; one of whom is believed to be Jayadeva
Jayadeva
Jayadeva was a Sanskrit poet circa 1200 AD. He is most known for his composition, the epic poem Gita Govinda, which depicts the divine love of Krishna-an avatar of Vishnu and his consort, Radha, and it is mentioned that Radha is greater than Hari, and is considered an important text in the...
, the famous Sanskrit poet and author of Gita Govinda
Gita Govinda
The Gita Govinda is a work composed by the 12th-century poet, Jayadeva, who was born in Kenduli Sasan near Puri in Orissa. It describes the relationship between Krishna and the gopis of Vrindavana, and in particular one gopi named Radha...
. Ashtapradhan was the title given to the council of Shivaji.
Modern usage
A number of institutions in modern India are popularly named for this historic group, particularly public-sector units that perform well. As of June 25, 2007 the list included following PSUPSU
The initialism PSU often refers to a Power supply unit, or specifically a computer's Power supply unit .The PSU powers all the computer's main components. There are many different PSUs that can come with anywhere up to 1500 watts for a standard desktop computer. The PSU is also sometimes referred...
s:
- Coal India LimitedCoal India LimitedCoal India Limited is an Indian state-controlled coal company headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal, India and the world's largest coal miner with revenue exceeding 60,245 Crore . It was formerly owned entirely by the Union Government of India, under the administrative control of the Ministry of...
- Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
- National Thermal Power CorporationNational Thermal Power CorporationNTPC Limited is the largest Indian state-owned energy service provider based in New Delhi, India. It is listed in Forbes Global 2000 for 2010 ranked it 341st in the world...
- Oil and Natural Gas Corporation LimitedOil and Natural Gas CorporationThe Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited is an Indian state-owned oil and gas company headquartered in New Delhi, India. It is one of the largest Asia-based oil and gas exploration and production companies, and produces around 77% of India's total crude oil production and around 81% of...
- GAILGAILGAIL Limited is a state-owned natural gas processing and distribution company headquartered in New Delhi, India. It has six segments: Transmission services of natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas , Natural gas trading, petrochemicals, LPG and Liquid hydrocarbons, GAILTEL and Others.- History...
- Indian Oil CorporationIndian Oil CorporationIndian Oil Corporation Limited, or IndianOil, is an Indian state-owned oil and gas corporation with its headquarters are in Mumbai, India. It is India’s largest commercial enterprise, ranked 98th on the Fortune Global 500 list for 2011...
- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL)
- Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)
- Bharat Sanchar Nigam LimitedBharat Sanchar Nigam LimitedBharat Sanchar Nigam Limited is a state-owned telecommunications company headquartered in New Delhi, India. It is the largest provider of fixed telephony and fourth largest mobile telephony provider in India, and is also a provider of broadband services...
- Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)Bharat Electronics LimitedBharat Electronics Limited is a state-owned electronics company with about nine factories, and few regional offices in India. It is owned by the Indian Government & primarily manufactures advanced electronic products for the Indian Armed Forces.BEL is one of the eight PSUs under Ministry of...
- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)Hindustan Aeronautics LimitedHindustan Aeronautics Limited based in Bangalore, India, is one of Asia's largest aerospace companies. Under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence, this state-owned company is mainly involved in aerospace industry, which includes manufacturing and assembling aircraft, navigation and...
- Power Finance Corporation (PFC)Power Finance CorporationPower Finance Corporation Ltd. is an Indian financial institution. Established in 1986, it is the financial back bone of Indian Power Sector. Net worth of the company in the year 2007-2008 was 8688 Crore Indian Rupees. Initially wholly owned by the Govt. of India, the company issued an IPO in...
- Steel Authority of India LimitedSteel Authority of India LimitedSteel Authority of India Limited from 116950 The company's current chairman is C.S Verma. With an annual production of 13.5 million metric tons, SAIL is the 14th largest steel producer in the world....
(SAILSteel Authority of India LimitedSteel Authority of India Limited from 116950 The company's current chairman is C.S Verma. With an annual production of 13.5 million metric tons, SAIL is the 14th largest steel producer in the world....
)