Mistri (term)

{{for|the Mistry caste|Mistri (caste)}}

Mistri, or Mistry, is a term for a master-craftsman, foreman or supervisor of manual workers in India.{{cite journal|title=Indian journal of psychology |year=1956 |volume=31–32 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r5EtAAAAMAAJ&q=mistry |accessdate=18 January 2011|page=89|publisher=Indian Psychological Association}} Mistri is being replaced with terms "supervisor" and master craftsman with "Senior Technician" by the Indian Railway who replaced the designation of Mistris and Master Craftsman with terms "supervisor" and "senior technician" in year 2005 making the term Mistri redundant in Indian Railways.{{cite web |title=Sub: Filling up of promotion quota vacancies in the category of JE Gr.II scale Rs.5000-8000 consequent upon the implementation implementation of V Pay Commission scales of pay |url=http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/indianrailways/directorate/establishment/sel_policy_31-2k5.jsp |publisher= GOVERNMENT OF INDIA/BHARAT SARKAR MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS/RAIL MANTRALAYA (RAILWAY BOARD)|accessdate=18 January 2011 |date=22 February 2005 |quote=The avenue for promotion of Mistries (Redesignated as Supervisors)}}{{cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801000000*/https://indianrailways.gov.in/indianrailways/directorate/establishment/sel_policy_31-2k5.jsp |website=web.archive.org |access-date=7 June 2025}} [https://rdso.indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/establishment/ENG-I/Electricals/2005.02.22.pdf] The avenue for promotion of Mistries (Redesignated as Supervisors) and

Master Craftsmen (Redesignated as Sr. Technicians)

The word Mistri, or Mistry, is adopted into the Gujarati language from the Portuguese word Mestre meaning Master or Teacher.{{cite web|title=Collins Portuguese Dictionary 2nd edition|url=http://dictionary.reverso.net/portuguese-english/mestre|publisher=Collins|year=2001|accessdate=18 January 2011}} The Portuguese were present in Gujarat since 1500 in Diu. The Mistris of Kutch and Kadia Kshatriya communities worked on building Diu Fort and the Portuguese called them Mestre due to their skills at fort building.Kadia Kshatriya Ithihas : 1896Kadia Kshatriya Abhudaya : Kutch{{Cite book |last=Baitade |first=G. b |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.494949 |title=Amchi Jata. |date=1916}}

Mistri besides carpenter for (Kumawat, Suthar community) also meant Contractor[https://books.google.com/books?id=UbQTsZnWY4AC&dq=mistri+kutch&pg=PA768] American anthropology, 1971-1995: papers from the American anthropologist edited by Regna Darnell page 768 (mainly for Mistris of Kutch - majority of whom worked as Railway Contractors, Foreman, Supervisor during British India and are noted for their construction of railway bridges{{cite web |title=Gurjar Kshatriyas in India |url=https://www.india9.com/i9show/Gurjar-Kshatriyas-36231.htm |website=www.india9.com |access-date=12 July 2025}} and laying railway lines ). Many Parsi family working as Contractor, therefore, also adopted surname Mistry, as their occupational surname. One such famous Parsi businessman is Pallonji Mistry.

The word Mistri or Mistry in Gujarat is today identified with people, who are expert in building construction.