Mistri (term)
Gujarati term for a construction expert or foreman
Mistri, or Mistry, is a term for a master-craftsman, foreman or supervisor of manual workers in India. Mistri is being replaced with terms "supervisor" and master craftsman with "Senior Technician" by the Indian Railway who replaced the designation of Mistris and Master Craftsman with terms "supervisor" and "senior technician" in year 2005 making the term Mistri redundant in Indian Railways.
The word Mistri, or Mistry, is adopted into the Gujarati language from the Portuguese word Mestre meaning Master or Teacher. The Portuguese were present in Gujarat since 1500 in Diu. The Mistris of Kutch and Kadia Kshatriya communities worked on building Diu Fort and the Portuguese called them Mestre due to their skills at fort building.
Mistri besides carpenter for (Kumawat, Suthar community) also meant Contractor (mainly for Mistris of Kutch - majority of whom worked as Railway Contractors, Foreman, Supervisor during British India and are noted for their construction of railway bridges and laying railway lines).
The word Mistri or Mistry in Gujarat is today identified with people, who are expert in building construction.
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