Rai (Indian)

Rai is a Rajput title of honour in India and Pakistan. It's nearest English equivalent is "Lord".

Princely title

Rai was a title of honour for certain Rajput rulers in Northern India, particularly in Rajashtan and Punjab. The title today is found mostly in the Indian states of Rajashtan and Punjab and the Pakistani province of The Punjab.

Court titles

In the major Islamic state of Hyderabad, it was the lowest of the aristocratic ranks (in the Mughal Padshah court's Persian tradition) for Hindu retainers of the ruling Nizam, under "Raja, Raja Bahadur," "Raja Rai Bahadur", "Raja Rai-i-Rayan Bahadur", "Vant, Maharaja" and (the highest) "Maharaja Bahadur".

The equivalent of Rai for Muslim retainers was the style Khan, under the higher ranks, in ascending order: Khan Bahadur, Nawab, Jang, Daula, Mulk, Umara and Jah.

When obtaining a higher rank, the nobleman would generally keep following it with the lower one(s), in most cases preceded by a personal (poetic) title.

Compound titles

Apart from the above-mentioned uses of Rai or combinations for ennobled Hindu court retainers, there also were also titles of honour for Hindus, awarded with a decoration during the "raj" (British colonial rule):
*Rai Bahadur
*Rai Sahib

ources and references

* [http://www.4dw.net/royalark/India/glossary.htm RoyalArk - India]
* [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_princes_K-W.html WorldStatesman- India]