Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956
Section 4: Definitions
In this Act,—
(a) "minor" means a person who has not completed the age of eighteen years;
(b) "guardian" means a person having the care of the person of a minor or of his property or of both his person andproperty, and includes—
(i) a natural guardian,
(ii) a guardian appointed by the will of the minors father or mother,
(iii) a guardian appointed or declared by a court, and
(iv) a person empowered to act as such by or under any enactment relating to any Court of wards.
(c) "natural guardian" means any of the guardians mentioned in section 6.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 16 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.