Sen (Bengali: সেন) is a Bengali Hindu surname derived from "Sena", the Sanskrit word for "army".
The surname is commonly found in the east of the Indian Subcontinent; namely Bangladesh & West Bengal, India mainly among Bengali Baidya and Kayastha communities. The Sena kings claimed themselves as Brahmakshatriya or Kshatriya in their own inscriptions. The surname is also found among some other communities like Suvarna Banik, Gandhabanik and Teli.
History
The use of 'Sen' as a surname is first found among the kings of a dynasty named as Vakataka (Vidarbha). This surname is also used by Raja Dahir Sen, the last king of Brahman dynasty of Sindh (Southeast Pakistan) and then followed by Sena Dynasty (East India and Bangladesh).
Notables
A
Abhijit Sen is a former member of the Planning Commission of India, which was disbanded in 2014. Akshay Kumar Sen The 19th century Bengali mystic, saint and writer. Amal Sen was a Bangladeshi politician. He was the founding president of the Workers Party of Bangladesh. Amalesh Sen (; 2 March 1943 – 7 October 2017) was a Bangladeshi football player and coach. Amarendra Nath Sen, jurist who served as the chief justice of the Calcutta High Court in 1979 and as a judge in the Supreme Court of India. Amartya Sen (born 1933), Indian economist and philosopher, Nobel Prize winner Amiya Sen (cricketer) (1925–2000), Indian cricketer Amiya Prosad Sen (born 1952), historian and religious scholar Ananda Prakash Sen (1923–?), often known as A. P. Sen, is an Indian former judge who served as a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India Anil Kumar Sen, jurist Anindya Sen Economist Antara Dev Sen (born 1963), British–Indian journalist Anupam Sen (1920s-2015), Indian politician, West Bengal Legislative Assembly Anupam Sen (born August 5, 1940) is a Bangladeshi academic and social scientist. Anushka Sen (born 2002), Indian model and television actress Aparna Sen (born 1945), an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter and actress Arunava Sen (born January 3, 1959) is a professor of economics at the Indian Statistical Institute. He works on Game Theory, Social Choice Theory, Mechanism Design, Voting and Auctions. Ashalata Sen (5 February 1894 - 13 February 1986) was an activist, poet, social worker, and a leading figure in the Indian independence movement. Ashish Sen is an American professor and transportation statistician based in Chicago Ashoke Sen, theoretical physicist Ashoke Kumar Sen former law minister, lawyer, and parliamentarian Asit Sen (actor) (1917–1993), prolific Indian film actor and comedian in the Hindi film industry Asit Sen (director) (24 September 1922 – 25 August 2001) was an Indian film director, cinematographer and screenwriter, who worked in both Bengali and Hindi cinema. He was born in Dhaka, now in modern-day Bangladesh, when it was part of East Bengal in British India. He directed 17 feature films in Hindi and Bengali Atul Sen (? – 5 August 1932) (Bengali: অতুল সেন) was a Bengali Indian independence movement revolutionary activist against British rule in India. Atul Prasad Sen (; 20 October 1871 – 26 August 1934) was a Bengali composer, lyricist and singer, and also a lawyer, philanthropist, social worker, educationist and writer.
B
Baikuntha Nath Sen (1843 – 1922) was a Bengali scholar, lawyer and philanthropist. His grandson Amarendra Nath Sen was a judge of Supreme Court of India. Basiswar Sen also known as "Boshi" Sen (1887 – 31 August 1971), Indian agricultural scientist. Benu Sen (26 May 1932 – 17 May 2011) was an awarded Indian photographer from Kolkata, India. Bhim Sen (1 December 1894 – 18 January 1978) was an Indian politician. He was the Chief Minister of Punjab, thrice. Bhupati Mohan Sen was an Indian physicist and mathematician. He made remarkable contributions in the fields of Quantum Mechanics and Fluid Mechanics. Bijoy Sen is a Bangladeshi art director. He won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Art Direction for the film Andha Biswas (1992). Binay Ranjan Sen, former Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Binayak Sen, human rights activist Bireswar Sen, (1897–1974) Indian painter, writer and teacher, influenced by the Bengal School of Art and Western modernism, but later developed a visual language of miniatures.
C
Chandan Sen a Bengali stage, television and film actor, playwright and director
Chandan K. Sen is an Indian-American scientist who is known for contributions to the fields of regenerative medicine and wound care Chitra Sen, an Indian actress and dancer who works in Bengali language films and television series