Naikare is an Indian family name.
The history of this family name goes back to the era of the Great Shivaji Maharaj, the ruler of Maharashtra (Swarajya). The stories about them are of mythical proportions. Many stories were told about them. One of them is that during the war against the Mughals they were ordered to attack the Mughal army. The mughals were defeated by the guerrilla tactics of Naikares. The Mughals came back with large numbers and torched their houses and killed their women and children and they took shelter in the nearby village 'Kaman', 30 km near Chakan in Pune District.They are known for their loyalty and honesty.The myth is that a commitment by a generation of Naikare will be honored by the generations to come even if it means death. Naikares now live in places like Chakan in Maharashtra, Goa, Chennai ( Madras)and Pondicherry and many live outside India for economic and political reasons.
Generations and generations were being told about their loyalty towards the nation about working in secret with Shri Chattrapati Maharaja. They were also famous for their guerrilla attacks on the enemy. Later they also fought against the British in the name of Shri Chattrapati, Shivaji Maharaj and Shri Bhavani Mata. They were involved in the freedom struggle in Goa in 1954, 1955 and led movements till December 19, 1961 when Indian troops crossed the border into Goa. Code named 'Operation Vijay' which ended in the unconditional surrender of Portuguese forces. Later they were known to have supported the freedom movement of Tamils in Sri Lanka, from India, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. The personal names and the extent of involvement are never revealed as a family tradition, hence very little information about their individual involvement in political and freedom movements are known to the world.
After the Independence of the Republic of India most of them settled as teachers in Kaman and its nearby areas. The families connection with Tamil movement has made some of them to move to other places which are never revealed to outside world. They continue to live a life of great freedom, and currently the family has spread worldwide.
The Sahaja Yoga also has a root in the family.