Parsi Khabar

India’s Independence month has another little-known first. It was in August 1907 that Madam Cama defiantly unfurled the first Indian flag to the world and inspired a generation of Parsi firebrand women patriots It became an irony the British took time to digest. A community, which was small, yet known for its loyalty to the [...]

"This flag is of Indian Independence! Behold, it is born! It has been made sacred by the blood of young Indians who sacrificed their lives. I call upon you, gentlemen to rise and salute this flag of Indian Independence. In the name of this flag, I appeal to lovers of freedom all over the world [...]

High in the hills of western India, Homi Dhalla looks around the Bharot Caves complex, pointing out the cracked and crumbling stone in the roughly-hewn rocks. By Phil Hazlewood (AFP) "If we wish to save these caves, the world community has to stand up and do something about it now before it’s too late," he [...]

With deep regret, the World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO) wishes to announce that it can no longer be associated with WZO (India). By Darayus S. Motivala / The Bombay Samachar This decision was taken after very careful consideration of the actions of the committee of WZO (India) which has taken such a divergent path that they [...]

The market for India’s modern masters seems to be sizzling. After Raza became the priciest modern by notching up over Rs 16 crore at a London auction recently, another master, 88-year-old Jehangir Sabavala, has set a new world auction record for his work. By Times of India News Network Casuarina Line, a serene landscape, was [...]

Concerned over the dwindling number of Parsis, one of the five notified national minorities, Government has launched a scheme to arrest the trend of decline in their population. The Central Sector Scheme is one of the four new projects to be implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs during the current financial year. The population [...]

Old coins and paper money are not just an antiquarian interest; they are also big business. The 103-year-old Todywalla House in Mumbai’s bustling Khetwadi locality may look uninviting, but it is the address of India’s first licensed numismatics auction house, and perhaps the only one owned by an individual to hold regular sales. Article by [...]

Supreme Court Justice Sarosh Homi Kapadia has been appointed the new chief justice of India. Kapadia will assume charge May 12. Kapadia takes over from Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, India’s first Dalit chief justice. A press release from the ministry of law and justice stated: “In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article [...]

An enterprising 55-year-old bachelor claiming to have almost made it to the portals of the Forbes list of billionaires was reluctantly but firmly refused entry to an exclusive party last Saturday. So were pushy parents and wannabe in-laws eager to gatecrash the meet. By Mahafreed Irani for TNN The unlikely bouncers were hoary-headed and fragile [...]

What the Diaspora can do for India and what India can do for the Diaspora A talk given by Khojeste P Mistree at the 10th World Zoroastrian Congress, Dubai on 31st December 2009 Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to give you a short presentation on a theme titled, “What the [...]

Anu Aga, the ex-Chairman of Thermax India has been awarded the Padma Shri. Her name featured on the list of awardees announced by the Government on the occasion of Republic Day 2010. Here is a short excerpt from a 2005 article on Arnavaz Aga Aga is always in her trademark cotton or silk saris, whether [...]

Assume you are the head of a multinational group some of whose leading businesses are weakened by a troubled market and lack of refinance in overleveraged balance sheets. What’s the likelihood that you pull off an overhaul, sustain a pipeline of innovation and yet find time to foster business co-operation between India and another country? [...]

With numbers dwindling, young Parsis turn to organized social events to meet, and hopefully marry, others of their cultural group. By Hanna Ingber Win — GlobalPost A group of about a dozen young Parsi professionals gather around a table at the Parsi Gymkhana or social club at Marine Lines in Mumbai. They drink Pepsis and [...]

Culture is our attitude to beauty and ugliness, to power, to religion, and to family. It shows in our music, in what makes us laugh. Civilization is our attitude to mankind By Aakar Patel / Mint Indians have culture but not civilization. Culture is how we entertain ourselves; civilization is how we entertain others. Culture [...]

When life in a Parsi household was lived at a leisurely pace… By Silloo Mehta Indian cities were beautiful a century ago. Bungalows had gardens, leafy parks were well maintained and flowering trees arboured the streets. There was an air of space, tranquillity and wellbeing. We were a joint middle class family, Grandpa the benign [...]