During the British rule, Rawalpindi was home to people from various religions. There were Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus,...
arZan Articles
Ratan Tata, Whose Indian Business Empire Went Global, Dies at 86
The patriarch of a powerful family, his Tata Group put an indelible stamp on Indian life while acquiring British brand...
Harking back: As Parsis dwindle in Pakistan, will we ever have a better balance?
The telephone rang early in the morning. At the other end was a very old school days friend who was in a Karachi hospital. “I have a high fever and the doctors say its Covid”. A few hours later he...
Spenta Wadia Inducted into American Academy of Arts and Sciences USA
Spenta R. Wadia was recently inducted as an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, USA at a function in Boston in September 2024.Spenta R. Wadia is the Founding...
Obituary: Ratan Naval Tata (1937-2024): A Gentle Giant, A Guiding Light, Forever in Our Hearts
With profound sorrow, we share the passing of Ratan Naval Tata, a visionary leader, a compassionate human being, and a beloved son of the Parsi community, on October 9, 2024 in Mumbai India....
Nilufer K. Shroff will conclude her service as VP & CACO at Princeton University
Nilufer K. Shroff will conclude her service as vice president and chief audit and compliance officer.Nilufer (Nilu) K. Shroff, who has led the Office of Audit and Compliance (OAC) since 2007 as the...
Zoroastrian Minorities: An Article by Paulina Niechciał
Paulina Niechciał has authored a paper titled " Zoroastrian Minorities ". This was published in the Religious Minorities Online, edited by Erica Baffelli, Alexander van der Haven and Michael...
Meet Maya Tata, A Rising Star in the Tata business empire
Meet Maya Tata, likely heir of multi-billion-dollar Tata business empire, Ratan Tata is her…With her father being Ratan Tata's half-brother and her mother the sister of the late Cyrus Mistry, she is...
Padma Shri Dr. Keki Hormusji Gharda Passes Away
Dr Keki Hormusji Gharda, a legend in chemical engineering who revolutionized the industry with his groundbreaking innovations, forever changing the landscape of Indian chemical manufacturing, left...
Keki Daruwalla, the Sensitive Intelligence Officer Who Wrote Poetry
It is said that sometimes creative writers turn out to be good intelligence officers, as both need curiosity, observation, imagination and constant questioning to find answers. That was true of...
Full Time Priest for Delhi Parsi Anjuman
The Delhi Parsi Anjuman is seeking to employ a full time main Priest who will administer and manage our Dar-e-Meher. The Priest would be required to perform all religious ceremonies including daily...
Poet Keki N Daruwalla passes away at 87
The Delhi Parsi Anjuman is deeply saddened to inform you that Keki N. Daruwalla, distinguished member of our Delhi Parsi Anjuman passed away on 26th September 2024.A police officer by...
Varun Balsara Co-Founder of Lets’ Level Up on the Immigrant Founders Podcast
Our dear friend and young Zarathushti entrepreneur and co-founder of Let’s Level Up speaks about his journey on the Immigrant Founders Podcast. Check out the short clip on Linkedin and listed to the...
7th Return To Roots 2023: Annual Trip Report
We are happy to inform that the Annual Trip Report of the 7th Return To Roots Trip to India in December 2023 is out. The report will give you a detailed flavor of the trip and insights from the RTR...
How Madam Bhikaiji Cama became the first Indian to raise the tricolour abroad
Born into privilege, Madam Cama could have enjoyed a life of ease. Instead, she founded the Paris Indian Society to support revolutionaries in exile and became the first Indian to hoist the...
Diana Pundole: Steering the wheels of destiny
Diana Pundole recently became India’s first female national racing champion in the saloon category at the MRF National Car Racing ChampionshipsArticle by Kalyani Sardesai | New Indian ExpressIt was...
The critic as artist: Hoshang Merchant
On how India’s first openly gay poet, Hoshang Merchant has created an entire tradition of interdisciplinary literary and cultural criticismArticle by Saikat Majumdar | Hindustan TimesIn his...
Stone-eating Lichen that threaten Iran’s ancient Persepolis
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, Persepolis features colossal sculptures and intricate stone reliefs of ancient Persian kings, nobles and deitiesAFPRuins of the stone Gates in Persepolis,...
Parsi cemetery tells tales of Rawalpindi’s rich past
Established in 1890, the historical landmark awaits authorities' attentionArticle by Qaiser Shirazi | Tribune PakistanRawalpindi, a city with a rich history spanning over centuries is home to...
Madagascar’s Enigmatic Rock-Cut Architecture may have been of Zoroastrian origin
An international team of researchers found an enigmatic rock-cut architecture at Teniky, a site in the remote Isalo Massif in southern Madagascar, that has no parallels on the island or the East...
Religiographies on Zoroastrian Esotericism: Special Issue
We are happy to share a new publication by our dear friends Mariano Errichiello, Daniel J. Sheffield and Yuhan Sohrab-Dinshaw VevainaSpecial Issue: “Zoroastrian Esotericism” edited by Mariano...
Minority Generosity: The Ruttonjees, a Parsi family, exemplify the diversity of Hong Kong benevolence
Along with other great philanthropic families in Hong Kong history, the Ruttonjees have left an indelible mark on the city. Their legacy has been amazing acts of giving and the establishment of...
Sisters divided: How partition ruptured a family in a vanishing community
To mark this week’s anniversary of the partition of India and Pakistan, a writer recalls her encounters with two sisters from the Zoroastrian community whose lives were divided forever in...
Zubin Karkaria Featured in Arabian Business 100 Most Inspiring Leaders 2024
Zubin Karkaria the founder and CEO of VFS Global is featured as one of the 100 most inspiring leaders in the Arabian Business Top 100 list.Welcome to the Arabian Business Inspiring Leaders List,...
The overlooked Gandhi: a legacy for our times
After 64 years since September 8, 1960, when Feroze Gandhi bid farewell to the world, not many remember him. He had an eventful life till he died prematurely of heart failure at the age of...
Heartbreak High’s Ayesha Madon on her turn to pop music, her fave Parsi dish and more
Welcome to Chit Chat, where we ask your favourite celebs, up-and-coming artists and internet-famous creatives a bunch of silly questions for fun, and a handful of prying ones. (Supplied:...
Historic 1980 Rock Concert by ‘The Police’ in Mumbai Was Organised by Parsi Ladies
Did You Know? Historic 1980 Rock Concert by 'The Police' in Mumbai Was Organised by Parsi LadiesIn 1980, Parsi ladies from the Time and Talents Club organised a concert with the rock band The Police...
Two Centuries of Service: Parsi and Zarathushti Presence in Ooty
The below article appeared in the print and online edition of Inside43 Two Centuries of Service From a shop that opened almost two hundred years ago in Ooty, until today, the Parsi community has...
Marine Line’s Sodawaterwala Agiary Commemorates 150th Anniversary on Zoroastrian ‘All Souls Day
On Monday, the Sodawaterwala Agiary celebrated its 150th anniversary, coinciding with the Zoroastrian 'All Souls Day,' a day observed on the Fravahar Roj, during which the community prays for the...
For India’s Tata Group, the philosophy behind ‘sky burial’ lights the way
Zoroastrian family's business empire stands out for its philanthropic practicesRatan Tata speaks during an interview with Nikkei in Tokyo in 2017. (Photo by Keiichiro Sato) SATOSHI IWAKI, Nikkei...
In Mumbai, for his supposedly last show at NCPA, Zubin Mehta said he may not put down the baton soon
The 88-year-old maestro was recently in Mumbai to once again conduct the Symphony Orchestra of India. Globally celebrated conductor Zubin Mehta was greeted with a standing ovation as he walked to...
Britannia & Co: Restaurant Why This 101-Year-Old Iconic Eatery Has Mumbai’s Heart
Britannia & Co is more than just a restaurant; it is a living testament to the city’s vibrant history and cultural diversity. The restaurant has offered patrons a taste of Parsi and Iranian...
‘Jaan-e-Mumbai’: The slim Persian book that came to be the first urban biography of the city
Mahomed Ghyasoodeen’s account, published in 1817, remains a prototype for the numerous biographies of the city that continue to be written 200 years on.Article by Murali Ranganathan | Scroll"View...
Dr Bhabha’s collectibles go under the hammer; fetch a fine purse for NCPA
Maestro Mehta too said that he was grateful to the Bhabha family for generously contributing their family heirlooms for the cause of art. The NCPA is the perfect institution to trust to put these...
Time and Talents Club: Ninety years of giving with grace
Among the most iconic institutions gifted to Bombay, the Time & Talents Club stays robust and relevant. Its firm humanitarian resolve engages with philanthropy and entertainment in wonderfully...
Diana Pundole Creates Motor Racing History
In a historic achievement for Indian motorsports, Diana Pundole from Pune has etched her name in the history books by becoming the first Indian woman to win a national racing championship title. The...
When will a Parsi play cricket for India again?
As Farokh Engineer, one of India’s cricketing greats, steps into Parsee Gymkhana on Friday afternoon, the sea-facing club bears a near deserted look, with just a handful of youngsters in whites...
City Finds: A Look At The Best Of Mumbai’s Parsi Architecture
City Finds: A Look At The Best Of Mumbai's Parsi ArchitectureDuring the 17th century, the Parsis established themselves in Bombay, where they achieved notable prominence. Their rich culture left a...
Everyone knows who Parsis are, but how many know about their culture?
The team of passionate academics helming the TISS-Parzor course on Parsi culture say it’s the first of its kind anywhere in India, and critical for a country that has been enriched by the...
Diaspora dreams of Parsi delicacies
From the Swiss Alps to Down Under, Parsi home chefs guarding a rich culinary tradition in distant lands speak to Sunday mid-dayIn bustling cities and quiet suburbs, far from their homeland,...
Music is music; I don’t know what to make of labels, says Zubin Mehta
Octogenarian maestro Zubin Mehta is in Mumbai for the second consecutive year to conduct the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) at the NCPA, which will be held over two successive weekends. Although...
Dr. Zeryab Setna Conferred the Hilal-E-Imtiaz One of Pakistan’s Highest Civilian Honors.
Pakistan’s Renowned gynecologist, Dr. Zeryab Setna, has been awarded the Hilal-e-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan’s highest honors. This accolade recognizes Dr. Setna’s remarkable contributions to women’s...
TISS-Parzor offer 10-month course on Zoroastrian heritage
MUMBAI: Two reputed institutes TISS and Parzor have devised an online certificate course on Zoroastrianism that has been thoughtfully developed to explain Parsi culture. Apart from burnishing the CV...
TISS PARZOR Launch Academic Programme on Parsi Zoroastrian Culture and Heritage Studies
Our dear friend and mentor Dr. Shernaz Cama writes in…I write to announce our TISS-Parzor Academic Programme. We are truly grateful for your support and faith in us. We will be glad if you will now...
Practice, Faith and Forgetting in Pakistan’s Zoroastrian Community
The Parsi Zoroastrian community is a small minority in the Indian subcontinent, descended from Iranian Zoroastrians who migrated to the west coast of India around the 10th century. There they...
Maestro Zubin Mehta returns to conduct the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI)’s Autumn 2024 Season concerts
The Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI), the nation's only full-time professional orchestra, is delighted to announce the return of maestro Zubin Mehta for the SOI Autumn 2024 Season, at the...
The Route to Parsi Cooking: From Pars to India and Beyond
We are happy to share that our friend Niloufer Mavalvala has come out with a new bookThe Route to Parsi Cooking: From Pars to India and BeyondPreserving the past for the futurePlace your order by...
Portrait Unveiled to Honour Lord Bilimoria’s Decade-Long Term as Chancellor of the University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham unveiled a portrait to commemorate Lord Karan Bilimoria’s remarkable ten-year tenure as Chancellor. Lord Bilimoria, the first Indian-born Chancellor of a Russell Group...
Zerbanoo Gifford at Westminster Abbey to Celebrate 30th Anniversary of South Africa’s Independence
Our dear friend and mentor Zerbanoo Gifford participated in a recent Thanksgiving event at the Westeminster Abbey in London, UK. Below is a write up by Athravan Sett a young Zarathushti from the UK...
Parshan Khosravi Appointed Deputy Treasurer at Young Democrats of America
Our dear friend and young Zarathushti leader Parshan Khosravi has been appointed as the Deputy Treasurer of the Young Democrats of America.Parshan is the past Co-Chair of ZYNA, Zoroastrian Youth of...
Shireen Contractor was the pioneering Indian triple-international you didn’t know about
In the Calcutta of the 1970s and '80s lived a young Parsee who made her community proud with her sporting achievementsArticle by Shamya Dasgupta | CricinfoIt was 1972 or 1973. Kumkum Banerjee was...
J B Vachha School: On this day 100 years ago, my Zoroastrian high school was founded in Mumbai, India
Dear friends,I woke up today to the pleasant news of longevity and resilience—my high school located in the beautiful Zoroastrian enclave of Dadar Parsi Colony, Mumbai—The J. B. Vachha High School...