How we can mention the sur name in Tamilnadu
R.Manivasagan
(Querist) 08 November 2008
This query is : Resolved
In Tamilnadu many people do not have surname, unlike other states. Instead the son/dauther carries the first letter of father's name as 'initial'.
For example if father's name is Sundaram and son's name is Natarajan, The son will describe his name as S.Natarajan.If Natarajan has a son by name Govind, he will describe his name as N.Govind.
So far no problem. But many forms of Govt and banking agencies etc, either ask for surname or ask the initials to be expanded.
Where surname is asked for, the Tamilnadu people treat initial as surname. So Natarajan will suffix his father's name to his own name and describe himself as Natarajan Sundaram. This is simillar to Ashok Gupta, whose first name is Ashok and Surname name is Gupta.
Where the form asks for expansion of initials, Natarajan is described as Sundaram Natarajan and his Son's name is described as Natarajan Govind.
Thus in one document,the same person is described as NATARAJAN SUNDARAM and in another document he is described as SUNDARAM NATARAJAN.
In one particular instance,the Income Tax department, truncated the name because they are very long in their computer format. The result was that in the Pan Card of grand son (Govind in our example) carried the Grand father's name ( Sundaram in our example). The assessee concerned, living in North India had a particularly difficult time in getting his PAN Card fixed.
Now his employer switched over to a new computer system, which, addresses the grand son with the faither's name.It is like calling Govind in our example as "Dear Mr Natarajan", because N.Govind is expanded to Mr Natarajan Govind.
Now my questionis: (1) what is the legally correct way of stating one's name for Tamilnadu people shwon in the example.
(2)How to deal with the non-uniform way of treating the names by different organisations so that legal complications may be avoided in Future.
arunprakaash.m.
(Expert) 18 November 2008
it is the case you can use your fathers name as surname or your community name. like chettiar nadar gounder naidu naikkar etc. If you do not want these titles you can use your fathers name or your village name.
