Our dear friend Jimmy Mistry announces his latest business ventureWhen visionaries in real estate come together — with...
arZan Articles
The Silversmith’s Puzzle: A Mystery by Nev March
Terrific praise for The Silversmith’s Puzzle by Nev March:“Packed with historic detail and local color. A leisurely,...
The Islamization of Europe
Excerpt from a longer article here Mary Boyce, Emeritus Professor of Iranian Studies at the University of London, has confirmed the external validity of Bat Ye'or's analytical approach in her...
Persepolis Today
Two videos showing Persepolis today and a glimpse of the grandeur of what it was in its day.
The King of Cobra is in town
HYDERABAD: It's not exactly the return of the prodigal, because Karan Billimoria has been coming home to Hyderabad every year from London, the city that he has made his own for the past two decades....
Apropos of absolutely nothing at all
Apropos of absolutely nothing at all, I would like to say that whereas the Parsis laid the foundation of Mumbai and gave it some of its most beautiful buildings and colonies, the Gujaratis gave us...
300 Evil-Doers
It's been said that the movie "300" draws certain analogies about the US and its fight for freedom. People say that the Spartan's fight with the Persian armies is a lot like the American struggle...
Inbred Investment Eyes Genomes
Bangalore-based biotech firm Avesthagen is studying an inbred Indian population. Bangalore-based biotech company Avesthagen said Wednesday it has launched a genome project to build a genetic...
Avesthagen launches AVESTAGENOME
Avestha Gengraine Technologies Pvt. Ltd., (Avesthagen) a leading biotechnology company today announced the launch of the AVESTAGENOME TM project, a unique project to build a complete genetic,...
Ardeshir Cowasjee – The Grand Old Man of Karachi
Ardeshir Cowasjee is a renowned newspaper columnist in Pakistan, whose weekly columns appear in the nation's oldest English language daily Dawn. A man of very few words (as the reader will...
Persepolis Recreated
An amazing video of Persepolis, completely recreated digitally.
A Small but Mighty Religion; What we Believe: Zoroastrianism
Mehlli Bhagalia and his wife, Perin, tend a small flame in their home in Carlsbad. Bhagalia said the flame, safe in the fireplace, has been consecrated by the couple's prayers and is only...
Mumbai: Parsi community celebrates Navroze
The Zoroastrian community in India, particularly those in Mumbai, is all set to celebrate the beginning of the New Year or Navroze. For Mehrad Faroudi, this day is special as his grandmother Audokht...
Iranians Celebrate the New Year 1386
Right after midnight on Wednesday, 21 March, Iranians will be celebrating Norouz (new day), the start of 1386, the new Iranian year - a celebration which is at least 2,500 years old. The new year is...
Avesthagen initiates Parsi genome project
Avestha Gengraine Technologies (Avesthagen), a Bangalore-based integrated biotech company, has launched 'Avestagenome', a project to build a complete genetic, genealogical and medical database of...
The Persian king who is remembered every year
He was one of the most illustrious kings of ancient Iran (then called Persia) On 21st March, Parsis and Iranis the world over celebrate Jamshedi Navroze named after the Persian king Jamsheed of the...
300 Reasons To Get Mad
By Firoze Hirjikaka Parsis (Zoroastrians) - in India and abroad - are up in arms over the unflattering portrayal of ancient Persians in the recently released movie '300'. The cause of all this...
Jamshedi Navroze Mubarak
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...
Persian king a barbarian: Parsis are not amused
Unknown to many, Hollywood's biggest blockbuster of the year 300 , which has caused a major uproar in Shia Iran because of its depiction of a historical battle, denigrates a much-revered Persian...
Rusi Lala writing book on 100 yrs of Tata Steel
It is a history of the makers of steel. Make that Tata Steel. RM Lala, the official biographer of JRD Tata, Beyond the Last Blue Mountain, may be pushing 80 but he is busy with his latest work, The...
The TATA Group
The Tata family has a tiny stake in Tata Sons, the holding company which owns the controlling stake in all the companies under the banner. Ratan Tata himself is said to own about one per cent stake...
Sanaya Ichhaporia: Promising Athlete
Not many athletes can boast of bagging 30 gold medals in their first year of running. But 13-year-old Sanaya Ichhaporia has not only done that but she even goes on to tell all about the 50 others...
Flaunting Dominion in Ancient Iran
The opening of Asia Society's glinting and glowing show of pre-Islamic art from Iran turned into something of a cliffhanger late last week when dozens of objects coming from Paris were held up by...
Persian Festival in Mumbai
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...
JRD Tata and The Infosys Story
It was probably the April of 1974. Bangalore was getting warm and gulmohars were blooming at the IISc campus. I was the only girl in my postgraduate department and was staying at the ladies' hostel....
Vote For Parsi Khabar
We are very happy to inform you that Parsi Khabar has been nominated in the "Best Topical Blog" for the Indibloggies Award. The Indibloggies are the Filmfare Awards of the blogging world. If you...
Parsi theatre academy to come up in Surat
To breathe a new life into Parsi theatre in the state, the first ever Parsi theatre academy in the country will start functioning soon in Surat. The academy is expected to play a crucial role in...
HC verdict on Parsi trust row soon
Come Thursday and the Parsi community will know whether most of the trustees including chairperson Minoo Shroff can continue on the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) board. The Bombay high court will on...
Dwindling Numbers in India
Concerns for dwindling numbers. Seminars on how to save their race. In 1940, when their number in India was a sizeable 1.14 lakh, the community probably never imagined that 67 years later, it would...
Parsi Punchayet trustees can continue to hold posts
The Bombay high court on Thursday ruled that the withdrawal of resignation of the four trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) was valid and they still continue to be trustees. Justice Roshan...
Air India Symbol Undergoes Change
“People trust Air India to carry those nearest and dearest to them, even when they themselves might fly on another airline!†Recognising from carriers like Singapore Airlines how valuable a...
Rebel Parsis ready with agiary plan
A group of reformists acquires land at Malad to build a fire temple that will be open to even spouses of community members married outside the fold It could be an event quite unprecedented in the...
Independent, but serious contenders
From unlikely parties like the AIADMK to the various rebels and activist-independents contesting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the top brass of every major political party is scanning the...
Tata – integral part of Indian life
We also make steel. This was the triumphant punch line of a happy Tata Steel television commercial not very long ago. The commercial wasn't wide of the mark. If you wake up in India, you are likely...
Zo Child Day for Zorastrian children only!
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...
Sorabji Byramji Sanatorium residents allege harassment from BPP…
The 46 Parsi families residing there live in deplorable conditions and according to them the BPP Trust does nothing about it. Instead they want them to vacate the premises, they declare The Parsi...
Iranian minorities to attend Bahman 22 rallies
Deputy head of Tehran's Zoroastrians Association said here on Saturday that members of all Iranian religious minorities, along with their Muslim brothers, will attend Bahman 22 rallies marking the...
Modi, Mody & Co
There are two Mr Modis I know in Gujarat. One spells his surname with an ‘i’, the other with a ‘y’. Narendra Modi is a familiar household name. He is the Chief Minister of a ‘Vibrant...
Being Boman Irani
From playing the eccentric Dr Asthana in Munnabhai MBBS to the boisterous Lucky Singh in Lago Raho Munnabhai, Boman Irani has played characters everyone can relate to. In a chat with CNN-IBN’s...
From Parsi Priests to Profits: The TATA Story
Like his devout Zoroastrian ancestors, Ratan Tata avoids conspicuous consumption. Yet he has guided his company through India's economic boom to revenues of more than £10bn a year and his takeover...
Air Marshal Fali Homi Major is New IAF Chief
The Government today appointed Air Marshal Fali Homi Major, PVSM, AVSM, SC, VM, ADC, presently Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command, as the next Chief of the Air Staff with effect...
The Israel Philaharmonic and Zubin Mehta
The NYTimes carries a piece on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Israel Philaharmonic. Zubin Mehta, the legendary Parsi Conductor is the Director for Life at the IPO. The current music...
Wing Cdr Hoshang K Patel
I came across a wonderful interview with Wing Commander (Retd) Hoshang K Patel. He talks about life in the Air Force and over Burma. Here is an excerpt. Image copyrights bharat-rakshak.comWg Cdr...
Indian of the Year: Ratan Tata
Think India, think Tata. The visionary business house that grew up with independent India, driving down new highways, providing the nation its morning cup of tea and adding that vital pinch of salt...
Astad Deboo Awarded Padma Shri
The phone hasn't stopped ringing at the Antia residence in Parsee Colony for a couple of days. Not that anybody minds. After all, one of their kin, noted choreographer Astad Deboo, has just been...
Corus deal: Lord Bilimoria chips in for Tatas
In a boost to Tatas' bid for Corus, UK lawmaker of Indian origin, Lord Karan Bilimoria asked shareholders of the Anglo-Dutch steel maker Corus to keep in mind the reputation of Tatas before voting...
Kayhan Irani: Artivist with a cause
Kayhan Irani's play, 'We've Come Undone,' has been playing to audiences around the nation since 2003. From Harlem to the streets of Baghdad, all the world's a stage for actress, playwright and...
Cdr Kurush F Morris United States Navy
CDR Kurush F. Morris Commanding Officer USS TAYLOR (FFG 50) Commander Morris was born in Mumbai, India and migrated to the U.S. at the age of 5 with his parents. Upon graduating from high school in...
Hill Road hawkers
Hill Road has long since been a bone of contention between the shopkeepers, the residents, the ward officers and the hawkers. Protests were evident when the BMC announced their plan of widening the...
Courage Under Fire: A Tribute to Nani Palkhiwala
This is an edited version of Teesta Setalvad’s acceptance speech on being conferred the Nani A Palkhivala award, 2006 Nani Palkhivala has been described alternately as a passionate democrat, a...
ZAGNY Essay Competition For Children
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...
Parzania: Death of humanity in Mahatma’s land
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...