The Indian Army’s first and only surviving Field Marshal, Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw is fighting for his life at the Army Hospital (Research & Referral) in Wellington in Tamil Nadu.

CNN-IBN Defence Correspondent reports, “Sam has moved in to coma following complications with lung ailment. He is in the ICU of the Army’s Wellington hospital and a lung specialist has been flown in from Delhi to supervise the treatment. His daughters are with him.”

Ninety-four year old Manekshaw has been plagued by old age-related ailments for the past few years.

It was under his command that Indian forces routed the Pakistan Army in a 13-day blitzkrieg during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. After the war, which saw more than 90,000 Pakistani troops surrendering on December 16, 1971 in Dhaka, Manekshaw was conferred the honorary rank of Field Marshal.

Fondly known as Sam Bahadur, Manekshaw retired as India’s eighth army chief on January 15, 1973, after four decades of military service.

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A very interesting article from the Indian Law Blog “Law and Other Things”

Dwindling number of Parsis
The National Minorities Commission ’s Report on the dwindling number of Parsis in India provides very useful statistical evidence to show that there is a problem. What is disturbing is its prescription for remedying the problem.

The Report clearly shows that there is a consistent fall in birth rate over the last seven years amongst the Parsis. An instinctive reaction is one of concern, but I wonder what is the root cause of our concern?

The question becomes important because one of the reasons identified by the Report for the falling birth rates is ‘out-marriages’ - mapping the liberal-conservative debate within the Parsi community over whether to recognise children born out of ‘mixed’ marriages. And hence the question’s importance - should our concern be preservation of Parsi cultural heritage (which is not necessarily threatened by recognising children of mixed marriages as Parsis) or preservation of the purity of blood and gene pool of an ethnic group. The conservative ‘argue that they have a religious duty to preserve what onepriest called their “genetic distinctness”. “If the trend (i.e. outmarriages) continues, you won’t be able to recognize a Parsi.”’

The Report recognises this as the root of the debate, but more importantly, appears to take a stand in favour of the conservative position:

‘What the liberals don’t understand is that even if we take in children with Parsi mothers and non-Parsi fathers, it does not solve their concern about declining Parsi numbers. We may increase the religion but not the community and until now both the ethnic and religious
identity has been seen as part of an indistinguished whole identity.’

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Mumbai: After the Hakims married, they looked forward to a quiet life, interrupted often by the laughter of children.

Five years later, none had arrived. Troubled by the void, they began visiting doctors. But nothing worked—until they stumbled upon the fertility plan of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, the apex organization in the city that offers financial support to Parsi couples who want children.
“They said they would pay for fertility tests and treatment if we went to their doctors,” says the woman, who declined to give her first name, citing sensitivities in the community.
“You know how hope is, right? We went.”

As she speaks, she rocks the cradles of the initiative’s recent success stories: twin girls, Katrina and Kareena.

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Ask Parsi youth, who want to know whether issues like housing will be resolved

MUMBAI: Last week, the High Court passed a judgment, one that would in many ways shake the age-old hierarchy of the Parsi community: Every Parsi above 18 years can now elect the trustees of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat (BPP). It is a big deal when one considers that it is this institution which controls the purse strings of the Parsi trusts and the allotment of thousands of homes to community members.

While the Parsi youth have welcomed this move, there are still a number of issues that need to be addressed. “If the candidates in the election are going to be the same trustees as before, what’s the point?” asks Viraf Balaporia, 27.

He’s not the only one asking this question. Jehangir Dadachanji, 23, is also deeply cynical. “I can foresee the tamasha. Just like it is with our country’s elections, we’ll have contenders going around begging for votes,” he says glumly.

But despite their reservations, young Parsis believe that it is a step in the right direction. The key is to ensure that they don’t lose the momentum. Sanobar, 20, a stunt professional and physiotherapist, is more gung-ho than Jehangir and Viraf. “Maybe now the BPP will work for the welfare of our community, and not for themselves,” she says. To ensure that this happens, Sanobar would like youth representatives on the board. “Of the seven trustees, at least two should be a part of the youth,” she says. “The elders can continue to keep our traditions and values in check, while the youth can tackle the issues we face today.”

Two of the most talked about issues are the decrease in numbers and burial rites. Many believe that at the rate at which the number of Parsis in India is falling, it is only a matter of time before they lose their status as a community and become a tribe. The second issue of burial rites is also related to the decline in numbers, but of vultures, in this case. But while the community elders debate over morals, and quibble over religious principles, the youth are more concerned about the housing problem. The BPP, they feel, is not carrying out their role in this regard.

Ruhanghiz Sethna, 29, a homemaker, says. “I know that there are houses on properties owned by the BPP that lie vacant. So far, internal politics of the BPP has determined the owners of these flats.”

Viraf Pithawala, a 33-year-old banker feels that the elderly trustees have forgotten how important it is for the youth to get a place to stay. “We delay our desire to settle down until we have a home. This is a factor that affects the size of our community. If the BPP can promise flats to newlywed couples, they might get married and start a family sooner.”

Sanobar has another solution to their shrinking population. “The BPP should take a stand allowing all Parsis, not just men, who marry outside the religion to be allowed to continue practising their faith. And, yes, incorporate their children in the community, too.”

Original article here.

KISH, Iran — The indoor dolphin show was in full swing as Hossein Sabet walked in to a burst of applause from the 1,200 people in attendance. Clad in tight beige equestrian pants and tall black boots, he waved at the crowd and went straight to his office behind the pool.

Tourists at the hotel, which incorporates replicas of ancient landmarks that symbolize Persia at the zenith of its power.

Kish is accessible to foreigners who do not have a visa.

Mr. Sabet, 58, an Iranian who spends most of his time in Germany, is no performer, however. He is a businessman and something of a local legend, having invested more than $300 million here in hotels and attractions like the dolphin show, the only one in the Middle East.

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Every Parsi, over the age of 18 years, will now have a vote in deciding the future of the Parsi community.

In a significant judgment, Bombay High Court on Wednesday entrusted the process of electing trustees of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat (BPP) - a 350-year-old institution which controls the purse strings of Parsi trusts and is the biggest private landlord in the city - to all Parsis aged above 18.

Disbanding the Anjuman Committee, a 3000-member collegium which, so far, indirectly elected the seven trustees of the BPP, Justice S Radhakrishnan and Justice AV Mohta ruled, “It appears that since the entire (Parsi) community has accepted that it
is high time that every adult is given an opportunity to select the trustee and the said power should not be vested only in a limited body as that of Anju- man Committee.”

Rejecting the appeal filed by three Parsis, challenging the ushering in of universal adult franchise of direct elections of trustees, the HC directed the BPP to complete the process of enrolling new members above 18 years of age and preparing the electoral roll within two months. The election of the new trustees has to be completed within four months.

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You have to feel sorry for vultures. For animal campaigners they are a difficult case. Other, more photogenic, slightly less sinister creatures may gain the world’s sympathy at the drop of a hat, but raising money to save the world’s most proficient scavenger is a different matter.

As far as the Asian vulture is concerned, however, the situation is now urgent. Asian vultures may be ugly, but soon, if current trends continue, their unprepossessing appearance will be consigned to history.

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24 Apr 2008, 0434 hrs IST,Nauzer Bharucha,TNN

MUMBAI: For the past few centuries, they have been one of Mumbai’s most important religious and architectural landmarks. On Thursday, the city’s oldest Zoroastrian fire temple-the Banaji Limji agiary-enters its 300th year.

Tucked away in a side lane called Banaji Lane opposite the Akbarallys showroom, the ancient fire was consecrated in 1709 by Seth Banaji Limji, a prosperous Parsi businessman. “It is the oldest surviving agiary in Mumbai,” said Parsi historian Marzban Giara.

Incidentally, the second oldest agiary-Manekji Sett agiary- is also located less than a kilometre away in Perin Nariman street near CST. It completes 275 years on Thursday (1733).

In the western suburb of Andheri (west), the Seth Pirojsha Ardeshir Patel agiary also celebrates its centenary on the same day (Roz Adar-Mah Adar), an auspicious day for Parsis.

Mumbai’s fire temples were established after the Parsis started migrating from Surat and other parts of Gujarat about five centuries ago. According to the Highlights of Parsi History written P P Balsara in 1963, there were Parsis in Mumbai in 1538.

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Received via an email comminique

From: pervezbhesania
Subject: Another victory to savour:

The mail:

To,

All Zoroastrians of Thana,

We have a phenomenal piece of news to share with you once again.

As you must be aware, we had filed a case (writ petition / PIL) against the Government of Maharashtra in the Honourable High Court of Bombay to save the Byramji Jeejeebhoy school land way back in 1998.

As any legal battle goes, it was a long, arduous conflict that went on for a little over a decade. Today, on April 16, 2008, Wednesday, this protracted battle came to an end when the Honourable High Court Bench, comprising of his Lordships Justice Billan Nazki and Justice Bhangale, endorsed the validity of our case and gave a ruling in our favour directing the State Government to construct a school and make it up and running within a five year duration. The bench took this view after having heard the arguments on both sides.

It’s a matter of great personal satisfaction for all of us who have been involved in this case for so long. No praise is too high for our Senior Counsel Ms Kiran Bhagalia who fought on our behalf without charging us a single penny throughout the case’s duration. This letter aims to share / put across our sense of satisfaction and our happiness within the much wider forum of our proud community, a whole lot of us who are deeply concerned on a day-to-day basis at the disappearance of our community’s assets.

Yours sincerely,

Pervez Bhesania

Vice President

Thana Parsee Zoroastrian Anjuman

The clock is ticking away fast and furious for India’s Parsi community. Alarmed by their dwindling numbers - as per the last census the Parsi population was less than 70,000 - the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has swung into action. The NCM intends to encourage timely marriages and the joint family spirit among Parsis as non-marriage, falling fertility and separation are some of the leading causes behind the decline in their population.

“We want to help them in checking the decreasing numbers,” NCM chairperson Mohammad Shafi Qureshi told IANS. He said Mehroo Dhunjisha Bengalee, a Parsi commission member, was coordinating with community leaders.

The panel took this mission upon itself after its survey found that only 99 childbirths took place in the community last year till August 2007. In 2002, 206 births were reported across the country and the figure came down to 174 in 2006.

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The return of vultures to the Kolkata sky after a three-year gap has delighted the Parsi community in Kolkata despairing of the loss of their traditional way of disposing the deceased.

The vultures’ reappearance has been particularly welcomed by lone Parsi activist Dhan Baria who has been pursuing an alternative to leaving the dead on the ‘Tower of Silence’ after the number of birds dwindled alarmingly in Mumbai as well.

”It is definitely a very good news for the Parsi community,” Baria said.

Baria, who lives in Mumbai, was the first man to show the world photographs of piles of rotten, half-eaten bodies from the Tower there and vigorously campaigned for doing away with the practice of leaving corpses to be fed by vultures.

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An interview with Dr. Farzana Irani.

Irani was born and raised in India, where she graduated from medical school. She immigrated in 1978 to Albany, where she is an obstetrician and gynecologist in Niskayuna. She and her husband, Khushru, live in Loudonville. They have three sons: Khoozan, 25; Perzan, 23; and Farzad, 19.

What is the origin of Zoroastrianism?

The ancient religion was founded about 3,500 years ago in Yazd in what is today Iran. The prophet we follow was named Zartosh, or Zoroaster. His followers are known as Zartoshi or Zoroastrian.

It is the world’s oldest monotheistic religion. People were idol worshipers at that time. Zoroaster told the people about Ahura Mazda, one God. We respect natural things like sun and water and fire.

Boatloads of Zoroastrians migrated to India in the 10th century. There, they were known as Irani, later as Farsi for the language they spoke, then as Parsi.

The three important mottos are good thoughts, good words and good deeds.

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UDWADA (VALSAD): If there is one place the Parsi community considers holiest of holy in India, it is the small town of Udwada on the Gujarat coast. For two-and-a-half centuries, it has been home to the ‘holy fire’ that they brought from Iran more than 1,300 years ago.

But, just as Parsi numbers are dwindling, the Iran Shah, where the fire is kept, too is threatened by the forces of mother nature. Because of global warming, the rising Arabian Sea is threatening to drown the Iran Shah.

The waves, which rise as high as 12 metres in the monsoon, have already damaged some houses and hotels on the beach. Today, the distance between the damaged houses and Iran-Shah is barely 200 metres.

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Affymetrix signed an agreement with Avesthagen for the use of its microarray technology in The AvestaGenome Project™, a genetic study of over 60,000 Parsi individuals. Based in India, the project aims at exploring the genetic basis of longevity and creating a genetic, genealogic, and medical database of the Parsi-Zoroastrian population.

The project is designed to discover biomarkers and drug targets that can result in predictive, preventive, and personalized healthcare. The Parsi community was selected because of its longevity and its relatively genetically homogeneous population. Thirty-one percent of the Parsi population lives beyond the age of 60, compared to 7% nationally, Avesthagen reports.

Complete press release here

Dr. Kersey Antia was in the Zoroastrian news recently, for better or for worse. In fact, the officers at the Colaba Police Station will also tell you who he is. Dr. Antia came to Mumbai to proliferate and zealously canvass for conversion into the Zoroastrian faith. He purportedly has his degrees and his knowledge. He also claims to have profound wisdom; wisdom that has enabled him to interpret the prayers and books of our religion in a manner that no erudite scholar of our past has had.

He gave a talk at the Jamshed Bhahbha Auditorium which I did not attend. The Parsiana this month has him on their cover and writes a very balanced and candid article on the man. All said and done, he came, he spoke but I don’t know how much he conquered. I’m not here to write about Dr. Antia. I don’t want to waste space on him… enough has already been wasted. What I’m concerned about is one of the counter-actions to Dr. Antia’s radical and progressive message.

As a retaliatory gesture, a public meeting was organised to oppose and educate the masses (as small as our masses are!) about the ‘absolute rubbish’ that Dr. Antia was talking about. It was well organised, with about 8 Dasturji Sahebs on the panel. I recognised only Dasturji Ramyar Karanjia sitting up there (nobody’s fault but mine. I’m ignorant about the luminaries we possess). A commendable effort. But that’s where it stopped. No offence to anybody here. I do think it was a laudable effort and in fact it was heartening to see that the community, which I believe has the “let it be… what can we do?” attitude actually rallied around to stand up against what they thought was very wrong. I am practical about our religion. Moreover, I cant blame any Mr. Joseph Peterson for being fascinated enough with Zoroastrianism to want to convert. Can you? We have a kick ass and beautiful religion. Nevertheless, I’m not willing to open my heart, home and life to some person who is not born of atleast 1 Zoroastrian parent, has not grown and is not inherently Zoroastrian.

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This article appeared in the TOI.

The controversy over acceptance of Parsis from mixed marriages into the Zoroastrian fold blew up on Saturday as the orthodox sections of the community disrupted and heckled a talk by Kersey Antia, a priest from the US who preaches freedom of choice for all those who want to accept the faith.

Orthodox Zoroastrians called up the management of the Y B Chavan Centre last week demanding that they withdraw permission for the talk. However, when their demands were not met, they registered a complaint against Antia at the Cuffe Parade police station stating that his speech would be inflammatory.

The controversy over the refusal to accept children from mixed marriages with Parsi mothers and non-Parsi fathers into Zoroastrianism has been raging in the community for the last two decades with strong stands for and against the move.

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Paris community is caught in a contradiction, a community whose numbers are fast dwindling but is adamant on shutting its doors on the children of mixed marriages. It is an old debate that has resurfaced with a group of liberals trying yet again to coax orthodox Parsis to allow the children of intermarriages to practice the Zoroastrian religion.

About 40,000 Parsis are concentrated in Mumbai. It is a community that has developed a unique and colourful identity since the first Parsis came to India more than a thousand years ago, probably the reason why orthodox Parsis zealously keep the faith.

”I don’t think inter-caste marriage is the answer to decreasing numbers. In fact I feel that it would lead to loss of ethnicity of the religion,” said Noshir H Darawala, Executive Secretary, Centre for Advancement of Philanthrophy.

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The Parsi community is set for a showdown with liberals taking on the orthodox, demanding that non-Parsis who have married into the community — and their children — be allowed to convert to the faith.

With a population of 69,000 according to the 2001 census, the community is the country’s fastest dwindling minority group. This is mostly because children of Parsis married to non-Parsis are not allowed to practise Zoroastrianism. Groups like the Association of Inter-Married Zoroastrians (AIMZ) and Association for Revival of Zoroastrianism (ARZ) are out to change that.

“Injustice is meted out to inter-married Parsi couples,” said Kersi Wadia, co-founder of ARZ. “But the scriptures do not say anything like this. They say the religion is universal.”

The associations have organised a talk on the true essence of Zoroastrianism by Chicago-based Zoroastrian high priest Dasturji Dr Kersey Antia at YB Chavan Auditorium on Saturday. Antia had performed the navjote (initiation ceremony) of an American, Joseph Peterson, who converted to Zoroastrianism after reading the religious scriptures in the 1980s.
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By Farrukh Dhondy

Finally the Indian National Council for Minorities (NCM) has got around to what should be one of the central problems facing the country. A member of the Commission, one Mehroo Dhunjisha Bengalee, has mooted the question of the dwindling Parsi population.

A little history: The Arab-Muslim explosion of 714 AD overtook Parsi-Zoroastrian Iran; the last Zoroastrian king, Yazdegard III was defeated. Some Zoroastrians held out in Kerman for a few generations, but eventually fled to India — 18,000 came to the Gujarati kingdom of Jadav Rana and were given land and protection. Today we number 100,000, a five-fold increase over 800 years.

Like Ms Bengalee, I am a devoted if not devout Parsi-Zoroastrian. I passionately believe, as she does, that we are an endangered species. But I am forced to dissent from her so-called remedies and recommendations. She wants them to “encourage the minority community to foster the spirit of joint family, encourage timely marriages, check divorces and increase intensive post-marriage family interaction countrywide”.

Her report has found that “late and non-marriages, fertility decline, emigration, marriages outside community and separation are the main causes of declining number of Parsis in the country. What is lacking is the zeal of entrepreneurship, early employment and strengthened family ties to live together and lead the Zoroastrian way of life”.
My feeling is that these ‘initiatives’ and good thoughts won’t work.

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The Parsi community is facing a unique problem. With only one Parsi priest left in the state, the community is facing difficulties in performing religious rituals. Such is the situation that now they have to depend on audio cassettes to perform various rituals.

For the population of about 300 in the state, the community has just one priest living in Kanpur and he, too, has seen over 75 winters. For getting performed the ‘navjote’ ceremony of their children, Parsis living in any part of the state have to visit Kanpur or Mumbai. Navjote ceremony is a must for children because only after this ritual a child is officially accorded the status of Parsi.

But the situation turns grim in case of the death of a Parsi as it is almost impossible to seek the services of the only priest available in the state in short notice. In absence of a priest, last rites are performed by senior members of the community and the role of priest is performed by an audio cassette.

It is worth mentioning that the number of Parsis has been steadily declining for several decades: the highest census count was 1,14,890 in 1940-41. But now, with the decline of approximately nine per cent per decade, demographic trends project that by 2020 their number will decrease to 23,000. In Allahabad, there are only 11 families which have formed the Allahabad Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman. Out of total 27 members only three are below 25 and most of the rest have crossed 60. Earlier, there used to be a ‘mobed’ for performing rituals in the Fire Temple of the city.

IT IS one of the world’s oldest major religions, and certainly the smallest, but according to its followers its impeccable “green” credentials make it the ideal religion for the 21st century.

About 300 young Zoroastrians — followers of the prophet Spitama Zarathushtra, who died about 1200BC — gather in Ballarat tomorrow for the fourth world youth congress, titled Back to the Future.

Zarathushtra’s call to look after the environment 3200 years ago makes him the world’s first ecologically conscious prophet, Zoroastrians say.

According to Bombay-based teacher Khojeste Mistree, Zoroastrians believe they are on earth to maximise general happiness and minimise pain by spreading harmony in the environment.

“This is what modern man calls ecology. We are life-affirming and are custodians of creation. For example, we celebrate the birthday of the waters (one of the religion’s seven “creations”),” Mr Mistree said in Melbourne yesterday.

“We are careful with water because it is the great purifier of the world. We worship wisdom, which is again very modern in a knowledge-based society.”

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NEW DELHI: India’s official National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has come to the rescue of the tiny Parsi community, which is worried over the disposal of their dead because of the dwindling population of vultures.

It has decided to set up a nursery for breeding vultures around Mumbai, where most Parsis reside. Dr Mehroo Dhunjisha Bengalee, a Parsi member of the NCM hailing from Mumbai, has been given the responsibility to coordinate with experts to set up the nursery.

The Parsis have always had a representative in the NCM, but it is perhaps for the first time that the representative is doing something that benefits them, thanks to the issue pursued vigorously by Ms Bengalee.

“The Parsi community strongly raised the issue of vultures disappearing from Mumbai. We do share their concern, and hence wish to contribute as much as possible to address their problem,” said Commission Chairman Muhammad Shafi Qureshi.

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[Note: The following article expresses the views of Dr Fredie Mehta, the well known executive in the Tata house

Are we imparting any religions knowledge to our children? Dr Fredie asks. Every other community does it, but not we. Our youth has no idea whatsoever about our own Religion and the way of life taught by it. One of the fatal consequences of this is inter marri ages, the surest way to dissolve the "Self" of the community in the vast ocean of the humans on the globe. Upto, at least, the fourth decade of this century practically all the Parsis, from the highest to the lowest, had the same thinking and the same attitudes, the present lack of which is so ably lamented by Dr. Fredie. They had the same burning feeling of preservation and protection of the Community on the solid foundation of the Zarthoshti Din and its tenets, traditions and teachings. They had the same strong apathy for mixed marriages. Since about last fifty years, these currents started reversing their direction; and by the last decade of the century, nobody bothers about the threat of being wiped out.

Dr. Fredie Mehta's views are like a sprinkle of ice-cold water on the hot and parched soil of the Parsi lethargy. The article is by courtesy, Parsiana magazine - Editor]

We are dead and dying community. 62 percent of the boys and girls in colleges do not know one thing about our religion other than that Zarathushtra was there and he was a very great prophet. As many as 25 Percent of our women - and I may say - as many as 18 percent of our boys every year marry outside - w hile proclaiming that they love Zoroastrianism. The trick is a very simple and very clever one but it ought to be exposed. So many boys who marry non-Parsi girls do not register themselves in the census as Parsis. These Parsi boys have forgotten what it is to be a Zoraostrian, they have forgotten what it is to be a Parsi. Do our Parsi parents spend even half an hour teaching Religion to their children? The Catholics take their children to the church every Sunday. The Muslims do so religiously on a Friday. Where are the Parsi boys and girls ?” Unless and until you plant the knowledge about o ur religion into our boys and girls, do not expect them to feel proud about their community or to feel knowledgeable about their religion. You get a person like Freddy Mercury who was absolutely brilliant, who left Rs. 72 crores as a legacy, but not one rupee to the Parsi community. Why? Because. Freddy Mercury had never been taught by his parents what is the Zarathushtrians Religion. What is the use of having brilliant people who don’t feel they are Zarathushtrians. The priests have been reduced to poverty and ignorance, almost to a joke; and therefore, all this tall talk about conversion is nonsense. Your can produce a brilliant chemical technologist. You can produce a brilliant orchestral conductor. But if they don’t feel that they are Parsis, what the hell are we ? They are great as individuals, we salute them as individuals. But as Parsis what are they?

Pherozeshah Mehta said that you have to make your contribution to India but you are also to remain a Parsi and you do not have to be integrated out of existence by intermarriages. If everyone starts intermarrying, then this is what is going to happen; but like Pherozeshah Mehta you will have to say, “we are not going to be integrated out of existence. We are going to remain and maintain our identity.”

Finally let me tell you what Mr. Govalkar, one of the greatest founder members, and close to 32 years, the president of the Rashtriya Sevak Sangh (RSS) said in 1973 : “I do not understand why the Parsis want to modern­ize. I do not understand why they want to integrate themselves out of existence. I do not understand why Parsis are ashamed of their Sudreh and Kusti… Why do they want to do that? Why don’t they want to keep their identity? We Hindus don’t want to convert the Parsis, as we don’t want Parsis to convert us.

Why do you want to modernize yourself? Foreign technology, yes. Foreign capital, yes. Foreign education, yes. But not at the cost of extinguishing our community. No. : Are we going to remain as Govalkar said, “long after the Hindus have ceased to be Hindus? I hope the Parsis remain the last Hindus of India”

HYDERABAD: In a bid to understand the genetic factors, which are apparently leading to high incidence of various kinds of ailments among members of the Parsi community, a project named ‘Avesthagenome’ was launched in the twin cities recently.

Bangalore based bio-tech firm Avesthagene will collect blood samples to study the genetic make-up and prepare a data of genealogical and medical database of the Parsi community of Hyderabad. Simultaneously, another effort is being taken up to find out the reasons for the large number of breast cancer cases among women of the community.

Inbreeding

The community consists largely of an inbred population whose numbers are dwindling due to self-imposed discouragement of intercommunity marriages. Members of the community from Hyderabad point out that by rough estimates there are just 70,000 Parsis in the country and 1,200 in Hyderabad.

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Friyana Billimoria - Friyana Billimoria, in year 11 at Kingswood College, Box Hill, is Youth Ambassador for the Metropolis

Migration works if everyone embraces it wholeheartedly.

MANY centuries ago, a group of people left Persia due to religious persecution. Braving the perilous seas in tiny boats, many perished. A ragged few survived and reached the shores of Gujarat in western India. Obviously, the ministers of the rajah refused entry to the bedraggled lot, dressed strangely, talking gibberish. However, the rajah was a compassionate man and requested the strangers to convince him why they should stay.

The first Persian elder requested a bowl of warm milk and a teaspoon of sugar. The next elder stirred the sugar in the milk until it dissolved. The third urged the rajah to drink the sweetened milk, with not a drop spilled. Thus the migrants would assimilate into the population, enhancing the culture, all being richer for it.

Hence the Parsi Zoroastrians came to live in India and contributed hugely to the economic growth and rich culture. Parsis earned the respect of the Indian community. This is the tale of my ancestors.

Many centuries later, my family migrated to Australia, in 2002, in the quest for education and diverse opportunities to succeed. I was 10. It is amazing how history repeats itself. Unlike my ancestors, we were lucky as we came to Australia out of choice, safely, with language skills and in control of our futures. Today, we are citizens - studying, working and contributing to the Australian economy, culture and way of life. We have achieved so much in such a short time and both Australia and we have benefited.

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Pakistan Will Break Up, Get Out When You Can: Columnist Cowasjee

Saturday 21st of July 2007 Pakistan ‘is going to break up in the years to come and everyone who can, should pack up their bags and leave’, celebrated columnist and writer Ardeshir Cowasjee has advised.

‘Pack up and leave if you can. There’s no hope for this country. Jinnah said, ‘Each successive government in this country would be worse than the previous one’, and his prediction is coming true,’ Cowasjee said Friday at a get-together in Karachi.

‘In the very first article that I wrote after the entire judicial crisis started in March, I told Musharraf: ‘A good soldier always knows when to retreat.’ Retreat, damn you, the time has come!’

Cowasjee, a Parsi (Zoroastrian), from a renowned family of shipbuilders and businessmen, is among the few families practising that faith who chose to remain in Pakistan after India’s partition in 1947.

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