Parsi Khabar extends heartiest congratulations to Javid Soli Canteenwala, a good friend of Parsi Khabar, on being...
arZan Articles
The Man Who Gave India a New Sense of Time: Xerxes Desai, Titan, and the Making of a Modern Indian Brand
The release of Made In India: A Titan Story has brought renewed attention to one of the most remarkable business...
Dhun Baria: Such a gutsy contradiction
Dhun Baria, the feisty reformist who was also orthodox in certain ways, “was a real contradiction,” said Noshir Dadrawalla, her friend and former Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustee. The community...
Multi-Faceted Sapal Balaporia
Our dear friend and contributor Havovi Govadia sends us another beautiful memory about times, places and people of yore. To read all of Havovi’s previous articles on Parsi Khabar click here In my...
Ba Humata Lecture Series: October 2022
The October 2022 Ba Humata Lecture Series is on the theme “Life is a sample of our example: The Zarathushti Prayers” Speakers: Professor Emeritus Dr. Coomi Vevaina (India) Houman Farvahari (Iran)...
Buy Vs Rent: In Conversation with Boman Irani
On this episode of #PaisaVaisa, Anupam meets the real estate giant Boman Irani- President-Elect, CREDAI and Chairman & MD at Rustamjee. Boman shares his thoughts on the real estate market, its...
Victim To Victory Co-Authored by Feritta Khambata
Our dear friend and amazing artist and singer Feritta is part of a series of authors in a new book titled Victim to Victory. Feritta writes… Today is my book launch on Amazon!!!!!! The messages of...
Modi govt likely to ‘scrap’ Minority Affairs Ministry
The Centre is likely to scrap the Ministry of Minority Affairs — established by the UPA government in 2006 — and merge it with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, sources in the...
175 years after Parsis flocked to Karachi, glimpses of the community’s fading history
On April 22, 1847, Parsis from across India assembled in Karachi as the foundation for the city’s first Tower of Silence was laid. Article by Ammad Ali | Scroll Photos of long-time Parsi residents...
First Zoroastrian Family to Appear on Television Game Show Family Feud Canada
The Irani family from Mississauga, Canada will be appearing on the Canadian-version of the popular game show Family Feud. It features two families who compete to name the most popular answers to...
Tata Administrative Service: Here’s the book review on six-decade old journey of leadership programme
The story of Tata Administrative Service provides valuable insights into the changing business environment in India The book explores the journey of TAS over the past six decades, and examines where...
Streetwise Kolkata: Parsi Bagan Lane, a neighbourhood that played important role in freedom struggle
What is less well known is the lane’s association with the development of psychoanalysis in the subcontinent. Article by Neha Banka | Indian Express Parsi Bagan Lane in Kolkata. (Express Photo...
Portraits, memorabilia: When ‘Aapri Rani’ Elizabeth lived in Parsi homes & memory
This fascination with the British monarchy is not just limited to Bomanbehram, 75. Every Zoroastrian Parsi and Irani home, it is said lightheartedly, has a portrait of the queen, be it Victoria or...
Century-old Parsi Dharamshala: A point of convergence for Kolkata foodies
Did you ever have Sali Marghi — tender chicken wrapped in fiery masala and topped off with shredded fried potato? Sali Marghi is an age-old recipe that has been a traditional one in Parsi...
Arzan Nagwaswalla talks about being a Parsi cricketer in India
Emerging pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla opens up on representing Parsi community for India in cricket and answers of questions on Cricket in general.
Farishte Irani wins Copywriter Of The Year at Cannes Festival 2022
Indian creative professionals have made the industry proud, yet again. They bagged top ranks at the Lions Creativity report, which was released yesterday. The annual report is a definitive ranking...
Story of 2 Perseverant Parsi Women and their Unexplored Persian Bistro
King’s Persian Bistro is a unit of Badshah Cold Drink Annexe located opposite Victory Theatre, Camp. An unusual duo of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, Roshan and Firoza Pithawala joined hands...
Sir Dorabji Tata pioneered many firsts in the concept of modern industrialization
August 27 is Sir Dorabji Tata’s 163rd birth Birth Anniversary. Jamshedpur, Aug 26: Sir Dorabji Tata was the elder son of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata and Hirabai Tata. He was born on August 27, 1859,...
Lord Karan Bilimoria’s Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
My Lords, I was in Boston yesterday and at lunchtime, Boston time, I came out of a meeting with one of my Harvard Business School professors, looked at my phone and saw the sad news about Her...
Composer Profile: Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji
Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji was born Leon Dudley in Essex, England. He was an English composer with a mixed race background, born to a Parsi father and an English mother said to have been of Spanish...
Maharashtra govt wants to bring vultures back to life
State forest department and Corbett Foundation to take conservation measures to remote villages; seek to highlight the many threats to the bird The poster that seeks to raise awareness about vulture...
The Travel Writer as Soldier: The First World War Adventures of Nariman Karkaria
The memoir of a Parsi ‘Tommy’ from Navsari, Gujarat, reflects his investment in the power of the British empire but also his pride in history and myths located in the pre-Arab Persian...
Aur, Irani chai
Zoroastrian, Shia Muslim (Yazdi and Shirazi) and Baha’i Iranian migrants, and of course the Palanpur-hailing Cheliyas, have been feeding this city for over a century with cheap eats and colourful...
Containing Multitudes: Exhibition ‘Hearts On Fire’ Explores Evolving Parsi Identities
Mumbai’s culture has been enriched and entwined with the Parsi community for centuries now. From the Parsi gara to the nataks to business, the community has contributed immeasurably and been...
Cyrus Mistry (1968 – 2022): An introvert bruised by Tata battle, took knocks on the chin
The long, messy legal battle was also a fight for his reputation. Cyrus wanted to tell the world that he was doing the right thing Written by Coomi Kapoor An introvert who shied away from public...
How Parsi-Irani Oral History Project is documenting the community
An aural archiving initiative records big-hearted Parsi-Iranian stories to inform the future of oral traditions Freny Daruwalla with Mani Bhagat They are a community of stories. They understand...
Former Tata Sons chair Cyrus Mistry dies in road accident
Parsi Khabar is saddedned to hear about the passing away of Cyrus Mistry, past Chairman of Tata & Sons and head of the SP Group. He was in a car along with three others returning to Mumbai from...
The fragrant dish of spiced lentils and tender meat will forever remind Perzen Patel of family meals in Mumbai.
I’m nine years old. The six spicy tangy lamb kebabs I ate a few hours ago for breakfast were not enough; I’m hungry again. I already know what’s for lunch this Sunday – it’s always the same. It has...
Maestro Zubin Mehta awarded Companion of the Order of Australia
The legendary conductor Maestro Zubin Mehta has been awarded an Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), in recognition of his eminent service to the Australia-India bilateral relationship...
Ashdeen’s New Garden of Gara
At his Mumbai store launch, designer Ashdeen Lilaowala talks of the Parsi gara’s evolving fanbase This year, Ashdeen Z. Lilaowala, founder of label ASHDEEN, marks a decade of working with the...
Ashdeen Lilaowala doesn’t want to replicate traditional Parsi garas, but offer a modern, contemporary take
Lilaowala started playing with different motifs and embroidery techniques, and began to use them in contemporary ways in fabrics like chiffon and nets too. For example, his leitmotif is the crane...
Lifetime Achievement Award To Keki Mistry, Vice-Chairman and CEO, HDFC
Some seven years ago, a business news television channel had organised a soiree for CEOs of the Indian industry, where the highlight was a live performance of golden-era Bollywood melodies. Nobody...
Rati Cooper’s Memory Honoured at Rajkumar College Rajkot
Rati Cooper was a legendary educator and teacher at the Rajkumar College in Rajkot. Over the decades she taught and made an impact on thousands of students who studied under her. Rati passed away a...
Ba Humata Lecture Series: September 2022
The September 2022 Ba Humata Lecture series Honors Asho Zarathushtra With the Special Theme of Communion in Religion a Zarathushti Perspective The Zarathushti Prayers Please Join Us For This Amazing...
Ashdeen Lilaowala On His Homecoming, Preserving Zorastrian Culture And The Demand For Gara Beyond The community
Ashdeen Lilaowala is best known for his research and revival work on the Parsi Gara. A craft bequeathed upon us by the Zoroastrian community, discovered during the 19th century period of...
Don’t be routine: Zubin Mehta
It’s a marvellous thing that the great Indian conductor Zubin Mehta will be wielding the baton for that illustrious group the Australian World Orchestra at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall on 31 August and on...
Adille Sumariwalla takes over as President of Indian Olympic Association
Adille Sumariwalla replaces Narinder Dhruv Batra, who resigned last month citing personal reasons. The Indian Olympic Association has co-opted Adille Sumariwalla as the President of the association...
This new Colaba boutique is as exquisite as the Parsi Gara saris on display
Ashdeen is textile designer Ashdeen Lilaowala’s first store in Mumbai, its racks filled with hand-embroidered clothing inspired by the traditional Parsi Gara. Article By Nicole Newby |...
120-year-old Masina Hospital gets ₹22 crore facelift
The historic Masina Hospital—city’s second oldest healthcare centre, is all set to complete the ₹22 crore revamp of its patient facility in the next two months Masina Hospital at Byculla, in Mumbai,...
Dara’s Theme and other dramatic tunes
Parsi naataks miss the rich sonic texturing lent by the late greats, Kersi Mistry, Dara Mehta and Sarosh Bhabha Music director Kersi Mistry (extreme left) in rehearsal with members of his troupe....
Zubin Mehta interview: ‘Sometimes I have had to be tyrannical’
As he returns to the Proms podium at 86, the conductor discusses politics, passions, and why he has long avoided Elgar’s Cello Concerto Article By Ivan Hewett, | The Telegraph UK Zubin Mehta...
‘Tikhu-Khatu-Mithu’: The foundation of Parsi fare
Mainstays of the cuisine like Sali Boti, Prawn Patio, Patrani Macchi and others champion this spicy-sour-sweet flavour combination Article by Lygeia Gomes | Telegraph India (L-R) Dahn Saak, Khichdi...
Sisters in struggle
Madam Cama first fluttered the Indian flag to the world in August 1907, paving the path for Bombay Presidency’s feistiest women patriots Bhikaiji Cama, the early catalyst for free India. Pic...
Why bitter can’t be better
Why have Parsi natak audiences been rejecting plays that don’t sugarcoat the pill? What were you thinking? How can you do this? I cried in your play!” That was Hindi film character actor David...
‘To honor our forefathers’: Replicas of Pestonshahi Siccas mark 175th anniversary of fire temple
The replicas of a few hundred Pestonshahi Siccas were recently created by Kayarmin F. Pestonji, the president of the Old Parsi Fire Temple Trust, on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the Seth...
Ba Humata Lecture Series: August 2022
The August 2022 Ba Humata Lecture Series will be on the topic “Being Human Transforms a Human Being”. Speakers Ervad Kaivan Antia (Australia) Ervad Farzin Yazeshani (Pakistan, India And Iran) Payam...
Memories We Carry: Migration Stories of Zoroastrian South Asian Americans
The South Asian American Digital Archive announces This collection of oral histories represents the living and lived histories of Zoroastrians from South Asia who’ve migrated to the United States in...
The Remembrance Project In Conversation with Prochy Mehta
THE REMEMBRANCE PROJECT – PART 97 Establishments are colossal beasts. Very few can take them on. It takes a different kind of mettle to challenge establishments. The 68 year old Prochy Numazar...
The Parsi Nose Project documents a salient feature
Vimadalal’s project took shape during a chat in March about Parsi noses with his husband, stylist Prayag Menon, and a friend The Parsi nose or the Persian nose, often described as large, with a...
Nautanki theatre was India’s melting pot of Parsi, Hindu traditions. Now it’s picking up
Cinema drastically impacted nautanki, resulting in waning audience interest. Today, the rural areas of Hathras, Mathura, Unnao have a newfound love for the form. A popular folk theatre form that...
Meet the 2022 World Zarathushti Community Awards Winners
The World Zarathushti Community Awards are held in conjunction with the World Congress every 4 years. The Awards are administered by the Global Working Group who worked with the 12WZC 2022 for this...
As Hyderabad’s oldest fire temple turns 175, the Parsi community looks back at 2 pioneers
The Nizam of Hyderabad once owed Rs 41 lakh to Seth Viccaji Meherji and Seth Pestonji Meherji, two Parsi brothers who founded Hyderabad’s oldest agiary. With the fire temple turning 175 on July 31,...