What is "malhotra"

Malhotra or Mehra or Mehrotra or Mehlotra a Khatri family surname originating from Punjab region of India and Pakistan. Malhotra are now settled in India and they are either Hindus or Sikhs. Malhotra is a modified form of Mehrotra, which is itself an extended form of Mehra (Punjabi méra ‘chief’, ‘master’). The founder of the Malhotra clan is said to have been called Mehr Chand.

Along with the Khanna and Kapoor clans, the Malhotra (Mehra, Mehrotra and Mehlotra may also be included) clan forms the Dhai Ghar ("2 families"), that later expanded into the char ghar of the Khatri clan hierarchy.