, ▁the ▁title ▁des ai ▁is ▁con ferred ▁to ▁leaders ▁of ▁villages . ▁Most ▁of ▁them ▁are ▁either ▁Des has tha ▁Bra hm ins ▁or ▁Mar ath as . ▁ ▁Des ai , ▁or ▁a ▁lo ft ier ▁comp ound , ▁was ▁a ▁rare ▁title ▁for ▁r ul ers ▁of ▁a ▁few ▁pr inc ely ▁states , ▁not ably : ▁▁ ▁Des ai ▁Sh ri ▁in ▁Pat di ▁( the ▁former ▁Vir am g am ▁State ), ▁in ▁Eastern ▁Kath ia war , ▁where ▁Des ai ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁r uling ▁family , ▁which ▁belongs ▁to ▁the ▁Des ai ▁cl an ▁of ▁K ad wa ▁Pat id ar . ▁ ▁R aja ▁Sar ▁Des ai ▁in ▁the ▁Mar ath a ▁Sav ant v adi ▁State ▁from ▁ 1 6 2 7 ▁until ▁the ▁ad option ▁of ▁" R aja ▁Bah ad ur " ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 3 . ▁ ▁Des ai ▁as ▁a ▁surname ▁Des ai ▁as ▁a ▁surname ▁is ▁used ▁by ▁Des has tha ▁Bra h min , ▁An av il ▁Bra h min , ▁Mar ath a , ▁Pat id ar ▁and ▁L ing ay at ▁communities ▁of ▁Mah ar as ht ra , ▁K arn ata ka ▁and ▁Gu jar at . ▁ ▁Ge ographical ▁distribution ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁ 8 0 . 8 % ▁of ▁all ▁known ▁bear ers ▁of ▁the ▁surname ▁Des ai ▁were ▁residents ▁of ▁India . ▁The ▁frequency ▁of ▁the ▁surname ▁was ▁higher ▁than ▁national ▁average