Gounder
Gounder is a title used by various communities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It may refer to communities such as the Kongu Vellalar, Kurumba, Vokkaliga, Vanniyars, Vettuvars and Uralis. The title is used to represent Kongu Vellalar community people in Kongu Nadu region in Tamil Nadu. The title represents Vanniyars in the Northern region of Tamil Nadu in districts of Vellore, Tirupattur, Ranipet, Viluppuram, Kallakurichi, Salem, and Dharmapuri. In the districts of Namakkal, and the Western Tamil Nadu, the communities of Kongu Vellalar, Vanniyar and Vettuvar share this title. Etymology. There are number of derivations for the  title. One theory derives it from the Tamil word "Kaamindan", meaning "noble protector of the country", later modified as "Kavundan" or Gounder. According to S. N. Sadasivan the Tamil Kavundans or Goundans branched off from the Vokkaligas and both might have a common origin from the Kuruba. History. During the British Raj era, some Gounders migrated to Malayan rubber plantations as Kanganis to manage the coolies.