bhadralok
/ˈbʌdrəlɒk
/(also bhadralog)
noun [mass noun] Indian
1Prosperous, well-educated people, typically Bengalis, regarded as members of a social class: [as modifier]: Kolkata’s bhadralok circles...
- This new book is based on a legal case well known among bhadralok Bengalis.
- Ray transformed the bohemian interlude into a study of the discoveries and self-discoveries, of Bengali bhadralok far from the madding crowd.
- I guess he came to this knowledge early, for he belongs to that most musical of Indian communities, the Bengali bhadralok.
1.1 [count noun] A member of the bhadralok social class: he knew I wasn’t a real bhadralok because bhadraloks won’t talk to a vendor like that...
- The measures stirred the nationalist bhadraloks to move for alternative systems of education.
- Thus, the Tam-Brams, Angaapalays and Mallus took care of the South and the bhadraloks looked after the North-East.
- The head start of the upper castes in education enabled them to monopolize jobs and professions, so much that the upper caste bhadraloks have since exercised undisputed authority in the public realm.
Origin
From Hindi bhadralog, Bengali bhadralok, from Sanskrit bhadrá 'worthy, respectable' + loká 'folk, people'.