Pani

Pāṇi is a surname used in India, found often in the state of Odisha (formerly Orissa). The surname Pāṇi is widely used in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, and a large part of eastern and central India. This surname is used by Brahmins whose root is claimed to be traced to Ujjain of Madhya Pradesh and to the period of Kalidasa. History There are two stories how this surname (or caste name) came about. The first one says the great grammar pundit Pāṇini is the ancestor of Pāṇis, and the other story is that a king of Kalinga conferred the title Pāṇi to Brahmins who could easily memorize all of the Vedas. It is widely believed that the Brahmins who were primarily occupied with writing scriptures and preserving it were known by the surname Pāṇi. Unlike other Brahmin communities, these Brahmins practiced martial arts and participated in wars. Pani reached their zenith and were revered as ministers in the period of king Vikramaditya (1st century AD).