This is a brief report on the speech given by Dasturji Dr. Peshotan Dastur Hormazdyar Mirza at the launch of the Zoroastrian Information Center at Udvada, Adar roj, Adar mah, YZ 1377, April 24, 2008.

Report submitted by Pervin J. Mistry on an email distribution list.

It is reported that a small crowd of about 200 Parsi-Irani-Zarathushtis attended the official opening of the Zoroastrian Information Center at Udvada. The expected throng of 3 to 4 thousand plus Zarathushtis did not materialize this time at the twice postponed inauguration. The event was not publicized widely, as the past two attempts were publicized, and it is also reported that many in Udvada itself did not participate because they were either not informed or were averse to attending any of the FDU’s activities in Udvada.

Dasturji Dr. Peshotan Dastur Hormazdyar Mirza, one of the High Priests of Udvada, Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy- Eighth Baronet and Dr. Miss Mehroo Bengalee, one of the trustees of WAPIZ, were present as Guests of Honor.

Dasturji Dr. Peshotan Mirza’s speech was, as usual, very educational and carried the right impact. He began his speech by saying that he was perplexed as to why he was chosen as the “Guest of Honor” when he was born, bred and lived in Udvada for most of his life! Udvada is his hometown and yet he was made a “Guest” there! He said he participated at this function, “rather than a Guest of Honor, I stand here today as the Dastur of Iranshah AtashBehram and The Udvada Anjuman”! His family has lived at Udvada for generations! His late father, Dasturji Dr. Hormazdyar Dastur Kayoji Mirza, was a very well known High Priest of Udvada and was renowned for his religious knowledge and research in Avestan, Pahlavi and Ancient Iranian Studies.

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Wed 30th April: Daepmeher roj

• Zaiya Wadia Dadgah at Surat

Fri, 2nd May: Sarosh roj

• Cama Baug Agiary, Mumbai
• Mewawalla Agiary, Byculla
• Soonawalla Agiary, Mahim
• Chinoy Daremeher, Gandevi, Gujarat
• Gadabhai Daremeher, Pardi, near Udvada
• Randeria Daremeher, Rander, near Surat
• Anjuman Daremeher, Quetta, Pakistan

Mon 5th May: Behram roj

• Sir J J Adarian, Adajan
• Zaibordi Adarian, near Dahanu-Gholvad
• Sardar Patel Daremeher, Poona/Pune

Tuesday, 6th May: Ram roj

• Rao Dadgah, Rustampura, Surat

Wed 7th May: Govad roj

• Adenwalla Adarian, Lonavala

Thurs, 8th May: Daepedin roj

• Saronda Anjuman Agiary
• Bharuch Narielwalla Agiary

Fri, 9th May: Din, roj

• Mota Shapur Daremeher, Valsad

Sun 11th May: Ashtad roj

• Bhumgara dadgah, Indore
• Adelji Unwalla Dadgah, Bhaya Street, Nanpura Surat

Thurs 15th May: Aneran roj

• Petit Dadgah, Udvada (in Iranshah’s premises)

This list was received via email on a newsgroup.

The route from Churchgate to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is sprinkled with memorials to sentinels of Mumbai history. Only, nobody cares

Sipping my masala chai one morning, I suddenly realized that the Khada Parsi statue, literally the Standing Parsi standing not far from where I live, had a name: Shet Cursetjee Manockjee, whose statue had been erected in his memory in the 1860s.

A newspaper report said a group of Parsis were hoping to have the iconic statue, after a thorough scrub-down and a restoration, to a new location—Parsi Colony, Five Gardens. Wedged at the point where the Byculla flyover splits to go in two directions, the statue was one among several public monuments to historical figures who feature prominently in the city’s history, the report said.

That’s where my dusty journey began, to find the other sentinels of our streets, and to see if they were faring better than my Khada Parsi.

“We tend to hurry up erecting statues in the memory of great personalities but end up demeaning them by our negligence,” says writer and city historian Sharada Dwivedi, also a member of the heritage committee.

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We received this from the organisers.

Farohar Foundation Exhibition

“ ZOROASTRIANS THROUGH THE AGES”

at Allbless Baug, Charni Road, Mumbai.

From 13th April 2008 to 16th April, 2008

Exhibition Inaugurated by Vada Dasturji Saheb Dr. Kaikhushru Minocher JamaspAsa On 13th April Evening 6.30 p.m

If you plan to attend, please let us know your review of the same.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today greeted the nation, especially the Parsi community, on the occasion of Navroz, the New Year Day of the Zoroastrians.

In his message, Dr. Singh said that the festival is an occasion to celebrate the diversity of our country. It marks a new beginning and inspires us to rejoice in the spirit of harmony and goodwill.

‘May the festival bring happiness, health and prosperity to all’, he added.

Navroz which is the traditional Iranian new year holiday is widely celebrated in Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, as well as among various other Iranian and Turkic peoples in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Pakistan, India, Northwestern China, the Caucasus, the Crimea, and the Balkans.

Navroz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the Iranian year.

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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Back to the future? this oxymoron was the tag line, the usp for the 4th World Zoroastrian Congress at Ballarat this Australian summer. I was there. And I went back to the future.

When I heard the theme of the Congress the first time, it didn’t make sense to my logical mind. But then I figured that the organisers probably had their story behind the theme. Organisers of big events are generally above average thinkers; they must’ve thought about this. So I decided to go see for myself what these above average thinkers had in store for the likes of me? young, progressive but also struggling to create a balance, vocal and always ready for a good time. Frankly, though my dad’s gonna butcher me for this, I also decided to go to the congress so I get a chance to see Australia. I gave him the sales pitch about religious congress and before I knew it I was on the bus to Ballarat.

The congress started as all events where strangers are thrown together start. Curious looks, whispers among groupies, everyone checking everybody else out and cursory polite conversations with the occasional joke thrown in, hoping it’d be funny and the 1st impression would be good. A complete and wonderfully successful divergence from the last day when we all said goodbye? for the moment.

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Pune’s Zoroastrian entrepreneurs will have a reason to celebrate this weekend as the city gears up to play host to over 200 Zoroastrian businesspersons and professionals across the country and the world. The occasion is the annual general meeting of rare chamber of commerce — the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce’s (WZCC) — where veterans get to meet novices, potential business partners get to strike deals.

Going by past records, what ensues are enriching discussions on various sectors like manufacturing, IT and financial services where the participants exchange tips, discuss problems and even secure funding for their ventures. According to the organisers, some of the previous meetings were successes ending with several businesspersons and professionals having forged partnerships, which continue successfully even today.

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Young Parsis from India, and Zoroastrians from Iran, England, Pakistan, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, the United States, New Zealand and around Australia will attend a week-long World Zoroastrian Congress in Ballarat from tomorrow.

This will be the fourth World Youth Zoroastrian Congress, and will be 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.

The Age quoted an organiser Shirin Mistry, as saying that the weeklong congress will bring Zoroastrian Diaspora together to learn about their faith and community, have fun and see a slice of Australia.

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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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When 2,500 Parsis gathered at the Mahalaxmi racecourse on Saturday evening, the main topic of discussion was the birth and death rates of the community, whose population has been on the decline.

The community, which gathered to celebrate the second anniversary of the World Association of the Parsi Irani Zarthostis (WAPIZ), thanked ‘this earth, this land of India’, which has given them succour for fourteen hundred years.

WAPIZ committee member Jamshed Mota said, “No other country in the world would have given us this sammaan (honour), izzat (respect) and liberty .”

The gathering, including 300 clergymen and four high priests, discussed issues that plagued the community and their solutions.

Khojeste Mistri, chairman of WAPIZ said, “The solution to dwindling numbers lies not in conversion (a concept which is unknown to a ‘classic’ religion as opposed to a ‘romantic ‘ religion), but in increasing numbers by procreation.” So far, 85 couples received help and thirty babies, including eight sets of twins and a set of triplets, were born through a fertility programme introduced by the Parsi Panchayat two years ago.

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On the occasion of Navroze, we wish all our readers worldwide, a very happy, healthy and prosperous Jamshedi Navroze. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our readers for their loyal readership.

Architect Jimmy Mistry’s daughter’s Navjote is the setting for the Parsi community’s vast and varied cultural heritage serving as a precursor to his May festival

“The Parsi youth today have become much dissociated from their culture; I want to bring it back to them,” is the ambitious and passionate statement of architect Jimmy Mistry.

And so the Parsi Resource Centre was born.

“That was one and a half years back,” he said. “Today, I have close to 700 registered priests with me and a growing network of volunteers. This year I am also starting a Parsi Festival that will hopefully become an annual event.”

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As a prelude to eight-day Persian festival in Mumbai, the grandeur of the Persian empire is being re-awakened by the city architect Jimmy Mistry in the heart of the metropolis. It intends to reintroduce present generation Parsis and the general people to the rich cultural heritage of the empire.

Mistry, who is a Paris, conducted research on the history of the empire before embarking on this endeavour. His effort is going to yield fruit on Friday at the Navjote, initiation of a Parsi child into the Zoroastrian religion. Mistry’s eight-year old daughters will also initiated on the same day.

The endeavour is borne out of personal interest of Mistry, who wants to familiarise the masses with the rich Zoroastrian culture. Hence, he planned colossus sets, depicting the grandeur of the empire. It will be displayed at the Colaba Agiary, which will be attended by the country’s top shots. Mistry has personally designed all the sets.

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Organised by Vispy Kapadia, the event saw over 2,600 children from India and abroad participate in the event

The fourth Zo Child Day, which took place recently at Shanmukhananda Hall, saw 2,600 Zoroastrian children from all over India (and some even from around the world) converge in what was possibly the largest gathering of Parsi school children. Organized annually by marital arts expert Kyoshi Vispi Kapadia, Zo Child Day is one of the most awaited events in the Parsi calendar. And this time, the event saw a massive turnout by children and well known dignitaries from different walks of life from the community.

The event is the brainchild of Kapadia and his wife Shiraz and they along with trustees, Parvez Dotiwalla, Zenobia Daroga and Perin Bagli, started the ‘Zoroastrian Children’s Foundation’ (ZCF), a foundation dedicated to children a few years ago. And the Zo Child Day is just one of the events that happen during the year when children celebrate the day devoted entirely to them! The travel, food, stay (for children living out of the city) and the gifts are all free of cost to the children, who come from places like Surat, Navsari, Pune, Udwada, Dubai, USA, New Zealand, Switzerland and London. The Zo Child Day is open to students from Std II to Std XII.
“Organising an event like this is tremendously challenging - physically, mentally and financially. We start planning six months before the actual event because I make sure that each and every child is well taken care of. Outstation children are taken to Esselworld after the event is over, where they’re treated to a day of fun and frolic and then sent home in the night,” says Kapadia.
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As per brief on ZAGNY’s website.

2007 Gool Kothawala Essay Competition

Topics:
1. “No, in fact, I’m Zoroastrian” (An unusual personal story about telling a new friend that you are a Zoroastrian.)
2. What I learned from my grandparent
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Film on Gujarat riots gets green signal; to be released this Friday

Almost five years after Gujarat riots of February 2002, a gutsy English-language feature film that looks at the communal carnage through the eyes of a real-life Parsi couple whose only son went missing during the conflagration, is ready for release after a protracted battle with the censors and apathetic distributors.

Parzania, produced and directed by Rahul Dholakia, has done the rounds of film festivals over the past two years, but could not find takers until the director and the film’s co-producer, KB Sareen, floated their own distribution company to release the film in Mumbai, Kerala and Gujarat. PVR Pictures is distributing Parzania in Delhi, Nizam and the Central Provinces. The film is due to hit the screen on January 26.
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Big boys like playing with their favourite toys and while they are at it, their girlfriends are keeping a watchful eye on their men who for one day seem to be paying a lot more attention to other beauties - their bikes.

“I am engaged but my finacee doesn’t mind my having a girlfriend,” he laughs a biker, Jehangir Jeejeebhoy while pointing at his bike.

Adds another biker, Navroz Langrana, “We Parsi’s love our bikes more than our wives.”

These bikers have come to take part in a rally for the Parsi Youth in Mumbai organised by well-known architect Jimmy Mistry. The aim of the rally is to persuade youth to take an active part in community activities.

Watch the Video on CNN-IBN

“This is to show that the so called dwindling Parsi community can come together for an event of this scale,” says Mistry.

The rally was a real treat for bike lovers, with everything from Harleys to Hayabusas to Hondas putting up an impressive show.

It also had several vintage beauties who of course were accompanied by vintage bikers like 73-year-old Rustom Gotla.

“I drove my wife around on this bike, then my kids and now my grandchildren love to get rides on it,” says Rustom who was the oldest biker in the rally.

All the zipping around aside, the rally turned out to be one big Sunday picnic for members of the Parsi community.

Original article here

Mumbai, December 10: The message was clear. The Parsis are here to stay and pave way for their next generation through their innovative Parsi Resource Group (PGR) programme. At least, that was the idea which over 1,500 Parsis wanted to get across to the public who feels they are a dwindling lot.

Brainchild of architect Jimmy Mistry, PRG has been designed for empowering the Parsi youth and to uplift their traditional fire temples and improve the lives of Parsi priests, which according to Mistry, are in a pathetic state of affairs. And Mistry has fallen back on motorcycles as a common thread to link all of them—young and old—together.

Mistry said that there was nothing else that could be more common for the young and the old to come together for a cause and a ride towards community passion and unity.
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Members of Parsi community fear that the sanctity and ambience of the Kappawala agiary in Tardeo may soon be lost. Reason: An age-old structure in its compound that is the house to the priest of the agiary, four tenants and a lessee may be soon converted into a multi storey building.

“According to our high priests, agiary lands are not meant for housing nor can they be used by the community for generating funds,” said Anahita Desai of the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ), a body formed with an aim to protect and preserve the identity and ethnicity of Parsis. WAPIZ has also spearheaded a signature campaign as a protest against the redevelopment of the annexe and has collected more than 400 signatures.

“The ex-trustees of the agiary allowed building one level Kappawala annexe to house the priest when the agiary was built in 1941. Later in 1963 they further allowed one of the community members to construct a first floor, which was given on land lease to the lessee. All this happened due to the builder trustee nexus that time and nobody ever protested but now we would not allow any further redevelopment,” added Desai.

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Led by Jimmy Mistry, 300 Parsi bikers will spread the message that Parsis do a lot more than just bicker

On Sunday morning when the roads of Mumbai are still sleepy, around 300 Parsi bikers will don their helmets, stride onto their vehicles and zoom around Paris residences, just to make a point that Parsis are not a dwindling community and there is more to them then the inter community bickering. This event, nicknamed as the peace ride has been organised by Jimmy Mistry, founder trustee of the Parsi Resource Group (PRG), and MD of Della Tecnica. “With this event we want to announce the arrival of the Parsi youth movement. The media seems to have the wrong impression about the community. This is my way of making a statement that there are lots of young Parsis and the community numbers are anything but dwindling. All the bikers will be wearing the PRG t-shirts, caps and carrying the PRG banners with them,” said Mistry.

The bikers will begin their journey from the Dadar Parsi Colony and travel down south to Cusrow Baug in Coloba. “There are 12 Baugs and colonies along the way and we will be stopping at each one of them, the Baugs in Parel and Tardeo, right till Colaba. At these stops we will be spreading the news about PRG which started in January this year. Aside from looking into a lot of needs

of the community such as maintaining fire temples, PRG also has a jobs and placements programme through which the Parsi youth can avail of the facilities offered,” Mistry.

After reaching Colaba, its time for lunch at Rustam Baug.

But why bikes, we ask. “Parsis have a affiliation with bikes. I have a 2300cc Rocket Triumph, which I will be riding on Sunday. I think they associate themselves with bikes because of their speed. Also bikes are the easiest way to commute in the city,” said Mistry.

This event is well organised, yet there are some uncertainties. “Bikes, scooters, Kinetics, all two wheeler vehicles are taking part. But 300 bikers is not a final number. On a Sunday morning 800 people can also turn up and 200 people can also turn up. There is no way one can force a Parsi to do something he doesn’t want to,” said Mistry.

To commemorate the historic landing of the Parsis on the Indian soil at Sanjan, 1290 years ago, the Parsi residents of Sanjan will be celebrating Sanjan Day on Sunday 19 November

To commemorate the historic landing of the Parsis on the Indian soil at Sanjan, 1290 years ago, the Parsi residents of Sanjan will be celebrating Sanjan Day on Sunday 19 November.

Located between Mumbai and Surat, Sanjan is a legendary place in the history of the Parsi community. When the Parsi’s first landed on the port of Sanjan, it was the kingdom of Jadi Rana. The King, apprehensive of tall, fair and warrior like foreigners sent a bowl full of milk, implying that there was no place for the Parsis in his kingdom. The leader and High Priest of Parsi community, Dastoor Neryosang Dhaval added sugar to the milk and sent the bowl back to the king. This action implied that just as sugar mixed with milk added taste and flavour to it, Parsi’s will mix with the local people and be an asset to the kingdom.

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Zubin Mehta is among the five stalwarts from the arts and entertainment field who will be honoured by the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts this year. Apart from Mehta, the others are musical theatre composer and producer Andrew Lloyd Webber, country singer and songwriter Dolly Parton, singer, songwriter and producer Smokey Robinson, and film director and producer Steven Spielberg.

Now a resident of Los Angeles , Mehta was born in Mumbai in 1936. He received his early education in music from his father Mehli Mehta, a violinist and co-founder of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra and later music director of the American Youth Symphony in Los Angeles .

Mehta initially intended to study medicine but eventually became a music student in Vienna at the age of 18, under the eminent instructor Hans Swarowsky.

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That’s what Parsis will do on Pateti today, a day before celebrating Navruz.

If you plan to wish your Parsi neighbours “Happy Pateti” on Saturday, don’t. That is, unless, you believe that penitence is a joyful event. Wait till Sunday (August 20) instead, and wish them a “Happy Navruz”.

Many non-Parsis recognise Pateti as the Parsi New Year. But, in fact, Pateti is New Year’s Eve, the last Gatha (day of ’shraddh’) spent in remembrance of one’s ancestors. Pateti is also a day of thanksgiving for the joys and sorrows of life. It is a time to offer “patet” (repentance), to atone for what is not in consonance with good thoughts, good words and good deeds.

Parsis atone in style — with new clothes and flowers but also prayers and charity. They reward their patet with some delicious pilaf dal, sali boti, and custard feast at the end of the day. Fravashis (souls), goes the Parsi belief, rejoice in delectable scents and pretty surroundings.

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Parsis remember their dear departed

10 days prior to New Year, community observes Muktad ceremony at city agiaries

The Parsi New Year is nine days away. But much before the celebrations begin, it is time to remember the departed souls. The Muktad ceremony takes place during the last 10 days, when agiaries all over the world become even more beautiful. The reason is because they will be filled (literally to the brim!) with all types of flowers. Muktad started yesterday and it will be a common sight for the next few days to see fresh flowers being sold outside all fire temples.

According to Dastur Dr. Phiroze Kotwal, “Muktad, in Sanskrit, means liberated soul. During these days, the spirit of the departed souls comes down on earth. To put it simply, it is a festival of souls. Ceremonies are performed for departed members, prayers are recited. The last five days are known as the Gathas, which are the holiest months of the year. The hymns sung during these five days can be found in the holy book of the Zoroastrians, the Yezashne.”

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Zoroastrian MP proposes changing name of the month of Mordad to Amordad

TEHRAN, July 24 (MNA)

On Saturday, MP Kurosh Niknam, who represents the Zoroastrian community in the Majlis, presented a proposal to the Iranian parliament to officially change the name of the fifth month in the Iranian calendar year (July 23-August 22) from Mordad to Amordad.

According to Article 15 of the Constitution, Persian (Farsi) has been designated as Iran’s official language and script and all documents, correspondences, and educational books must be written in Persian, he said in his proposal.

Most of the current Persian words have their roots in the ancient languages of Pahlavi (a form of Middle Persian) and Avestan, he added.

For example, the names of the Iranian months are very meaningful and come from ancient Iranian languages, and these names remind all Iranians of awareness, life, and striving, he noted.

Over the years, many people in Iran mispronounced the word Amordad, saying Mordad, which means death and nothingness, Niknam said in explanation of how the change came about.

“Since Iranians always cared about life, striving, development, and productivity, they named the middle month of the summer Amordad, which means life and eternity in the Avestan language.”

London, July 23 (IANS)

India-born beer baron Karan Bilimoria will on Monday formally “take his seat” in the House of Lords, making him the first Parsi to enter the British Parliament’s upper house.

Bilimoria, the owner of Cobra beer, became Lord Bilimoria CBE, of Chelsea, after being granted peerage on June 16. He will now take his seat in the upper house as a “cross bencher” - that is, without any party affiliation.

“It’s a great privilege, and I am truly humbled,” Bilimoria, whose “NRI beer” Cobra is a staple at the thousands of Indian restaurants in Britain, told IANS in an interview.

As one of the 10 youngest members of the 714-member House of Lords, Bilimoria says he will focus on “entrepreneurship, enterprise, trade and investment” as well as the emerging India story.

“India’s importance will see a sustained increase in the decades to come,” says Lord Bilimoria, who is chair of the Indo-British Partnership Council and a member of the UK-India Round Table, chaired by Lord Patten.

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President APJ Abdul Kalam will unveil the 150th anniversary of Mumbai University, the oldest in the country.

The University’s convocation hall just restored for the event is a stunning symbol of its history.

It is named after Cowasjee Jehangir, the Parsi industrialist and phlianrophist who endowed the University and many other centres of learning in the city.

It is the kind of philanthropy and endowment in learning and the arts that made Mumbai an academic powerhouse in the mid 19th century.

Original article on NDTV