Kaushik () or Kaushike () or Koushik/Kousik is a surname and gotra of Brahmins named after Brahmarishi Vishvamitra. Kaushik/Koushik is ancient Indian 'Gotra' applied to an Indian clan. Origin of Kaushik can be referenced to an ancient Hindu text. There was a Rishi (saint) by the name of "Vishvamitra" literally meaning 'friend of the universe', 'Vishwa' as in universe and 'Mitra' as in friend, he was also called as Rishi "Kaushik".Vishvamitra is famous in many legendary stories and in different works of Hindu literature. Kaushika is pravara of Vishwamitra gotra.
Etymology
The name "Koushika" (i.e. Kaushik) literally means "descended from Kusha".
Notable people
Notable people with the surname include:
Sports
Shivil Kaushik, Indian cricketer
Manish Kaushik (boxer), Indian boxer
Haripal Kaushik, Indian field hockey player, military officer and television commentator Jagannathan Kaushik, Indian cricketer Ankit Kaushik, Indian cricketer Aditya Kaushik, Indian cricketer Maharaj Krishan Kaushik, former coach of Indian women's hockey team Madhav Kaushik,Indian cricketer Abhishek Kaushik (cricketer, born 1985) Abhishek Kaushik (cricketer, born 1994)
Entertainers
Ashutosh Kaushik, Indian actor
Amar Kaushik, Indian director and actor
Satish Kaushik, Indian film director, producer, and actor
Kavita Kaushik, Indian actress
Dinesh Kaushik, Indian actor
Aravind Kaushik, Indian film director, screenwriter who works in Kannada cinema
Tashu Kaushik, Indian film actress and model
Kabeer Kaushik, Indian film director and screenwriter
Rishi Kaushik, Indian actor
Divyansha Kaushik, Indian actress
Politicians
Dharamlal Kaushik, BJP politician from Chhattisgarh
Madan Kaushik, BJP politician from Uttarakhand
Anil Kaushik, Indian National Congress politician from Maharashtra
Dinesh Kaushik (politician), Indian politician from Haryana
Ramesh Chander Kaushik, Indian politician from Haryana
Purushottam Kaushik, former Indian politician from Madhya Pradesh
Naresh Kaushik, Indian politician from Haryana
K. M. Koushik, former Indian politician from Maharashtra
Others
Ravindra Kaushik, Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent who lived undercover in Pakistan Bhupendra Nath Kaushik, Indian Hindi and Urdu language poet, writer and satirist Ramanath Cowsik, astrophysicist Sadasivam KAUSHIK, scientist, aquaculture, animal nutrition