chitnis

Chitnis, Chitnavis or Chitnavese was a title conferred on one who held the office of Secretary of State or "political secretary" in the Maratha Empire. The post was considered to be of equal status to the post of the council of eight ministers or Ashta Pradhan although it was not part of that group. The office of the Chitnis was responsible for all political and diplomatic correspondence but like other officers of the state they were also obligated to perform Military service.{{cite book|author=M. V. Kamath|title=Devi Ahalyabai Holkar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T2luAAAAMAAJ|year=1995|publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan|quote=The ' Chitnavese ' ( Chitnis ) was a Secretary of State , in whose office was carried on all political correspondence , as directed by the prince , either public or confidential }}{{cite book|author=Surendra Nath Sen|title=Administrative System of the Marathas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jF8MAAAAIAAJ|year=1976|publisher=K. P. Bagchi|quote=Outside the council but in no way inferior to the eight ministers was the Chitnis}}{{cite book|author=R.S. Chaurasia|title=History of the Marathas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D_v3Y7hns8QC&pg=PA193|year=2004|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist|isbn=978-81-269-0394-8|pages=193|quote=The Diwan was the principal executive officer and controlled other officials. He was assisted by the Phadnavis or chief accountant the financial officer (the Potnis or treasurer) the chitnis or political secretary, the sabnis or daftardar, who keeps records, and some other subordinate officers......Maratha government being a semi military institution all officers of the state including the ministers were under an obligation to perform military service also.}}

Deshpande writes : {{quote|"As Malhar Ramrao observed, it was not enough for the Chitnis to be literate; his office was political, and he had to often read the king's mind and anticipate his intentions, which required much imagination and intelligence."{{cite book|author=Prachi Deshpande|title=Creative Pasts: Historical Memory and Identity in Western India, 1700-1960|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=96qrAgAAQBAJ|year=2007|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-12486-7|pages=38|quote=As Malhar Ramrao observed, it was not enough for the Chitnis to be literate; his office was political, and he had to often read the king's mind and anticipate his intentions, which required much imagination and intelligence}}}}

This surname may be found among Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmin (DRB) and Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu (CKP) communities.{{cite book|title=History of the Marathas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D_v3Y7hns8QC|page=30|author=R.S. Chaurasia|year=2004|isbn = 9788126903948|quote=The leaders of Deshastha Brahmins were the three sons of Raghunath Malhar Kulkarni of Nagodi , known as Aba Chitnis , Krishnoba Chitnis and Gopal Bhau }}{{cite book|title=The Illustrated Weekly of India, Volume 91, Part 3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Glk6AQAAIAAJ|publisher=Published for the proprietors, Bennett, Coleman & Company, Limited, at the Times of India Press|year=1970|page=8}}