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"). Joshi is a common family name in Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Goa and Uttar Pradesh in India and Nepal. In Kathmandu valley, the surname Joshi is used by Newar Srēṣṭhas. Notable individuals Politicians, civil servants and military 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 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