etti ▁& ▁ ▁Ch et ty ) ▁is ▁a ▁title ▁used ▁by ▁many ▁merc ant ile , ▁we aving , ▁agricult ural ▁and ▁land ▁ow ning ▁cast es ▁in ▁South ▁India , ▁especially ▁in ▁the ▁states ▁of ▁T amil ▁N adu ▁and ▁Ker ala . ▁ ▁Et ym ology ▁ ▁The ▁word ▁Ch ett iar ▁is ▁used ▁by ▁many ▁merchant ▁and ▁trad ing ▁groups ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁state ▁of ▁T amil ▁N adu . ▁The ▁word ▁might ▁be ▁derived ▁from ▁the ▁T amil ▁word ▁E tt i ▁of ▁Sang am ▁era , ▁a ▁honor ific ▁title ▁best owed ▁on ▁the ▁leading ▁mer ch ants ▁by ▁the ▁T amil ▁monarch s . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁N att uk otta i ▁Ch ett iar ▁Tw enty ▁four ▁M ana i ▁Tel ug u ▁Ch etti ars ▁Dev anga ▁Ch ett iar ▁ ▁P attan av ar ▁ ▁Ch itt y ▁ ▁K and ang i ▁s ari ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁▁ ▁Christ ine ▁Dob son , ▁Asian ▁Entre pr ene ur ial ▁Minor ities , ▁ ▁Cur zon ▁Press ▁UK , ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁( A ▁chapter ▁in ▁the ▁book ▁is ▁devoted ▁to ▁the ▁Ch etti ars ▁who ▁set ▁up ▁business es ▁in ▁Bur ma .) ▁ ▁Raj es w ary ▁Brown ▁( 1 9 9 3 ) ▁" Ch ett iar ▁capital ▁and ▁S out heast ▁Asian ▁credit ▁networks ▁in ▁the ▁inter - war ▁period ". ▁In ▁G . ▁Austin ▁and ▁K . ▁Sug ih ara , ▁ed