Pandit

A Pandit (Sanskrit: पण्डितः, romanized: paṇḍita; Hindi: पंडित; also spelled Pundit, pronounced /ˈpʌndɪt, ˈpændɪt/; abbreviated Pt.) is an individual with specialised knowledge or a teacher of any field of knowledge whether it is shashtra (Holy Books) or shastra (Weapons) in Hinduism, particularly the Vedic scriptures, dharma, or Hindu philosophy; in colonial-era literature, the term generally refers to lawyers specialized in Hindu law. Whereas, today the title is used for experts in other subjects, such as music. Pundit is a loanword in English meaning "an expert in a particular subject or field who is frequently called upon to give their opinions to the public".

For other uses, see Pandit (disambiguation).

Ustad is the equivalent title for a Muslim man in the musical sense. The equivalent titles for a Hindu woman are Vidushi, Pandita, or Panditain; however, these titles are not currently in widespread use.

In Sanskrit, pandit generally refers to any "wise, educated or learned man" with specialized knowledge. The term is derived from paṇḍ (पण्ड्) which means "to collect, heap, pile up", and this root is used in the sense of knowledge. The term is found in Vedic and post-Vedic texts, but without any sociological context.

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