A member of a Hindu merchant or banking caste in southern India, traditionally involved in trade and financial services.
From Tamil 'chettiyan,' which derives from a root meaning 'skill' or 'craft,' the word describes a hereditary occupational group in the Indian caste system.
The Chettiars were such successful traders that they established banking networks across Southeast Asia and even in Burma—they're a fascinating example of how a single community created international commerce routes centuries before modern banking.
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