VALIANT PARSIS IN WAR AND PEACE
320 pages, hard bound, illustrated, printed on art paper
Foreword by Air Chief Marshal Fali Major (Retired)
An index of names – surnamewise of 550 Parsi officers and men with 200 photographs.
Price:Rs.700/- plus courier charges
Available from:
Marzban J. Giara,
WZO Trust Funds Senior Citizens Centre,
Pinjara Street,
Malesar, Navsari,
Gujarat, India
Pin 396445
e-mail: marzbang@gmail.com
Available from 1st January 2018 at Mumbai:
1. Mr. Hoshedar E. Ichhaporia. Desai Building, ground floor, (opp. Bank Of India). 668, Katrak Road, Dadar Parsi Colony Tel. 24124303
2. Karani Agiary, Cusrow Baug, Colaba
3. Tata Agiary, Bandra
4. Mevawalla Agiary Byculla
5. Parsiana book shop, K. K. Chambers, A. K. Nayak Marg, Fort, Mumbai Tel 22074335/22074347
6. Jame Jamshed office, 2282020223
The author Marzban Giara has documented the lives and contribution of Parsi officers and men of the armed forces, police, fire brigade as a labour of love. It has an index of names surnamewise of 550 Parsis and 200 photographs.
This book has an attractive outer jacket with colour pictures of all the Parsi service chiefs on the front cover and Lt. Generals, Air Marshals, Vice/Rear Admirals on the rear cover. It has a foreword by Air Chief Marshal Fali H. Major (Retired)
There is a special section 24 pages with colour pictures of medals pre independence and post independence and life sketches of the Parsi service chiefs – Field Marshal Maneckshaw, Admiral Jal Cursetji, Air Marshal Aspi Engineer, Air Chief Marshal Fali H. A. Major, as also Vice Admiral Rustom Contractor, Director General, Indian Coast Guard and Khusro F. Rustamji, Director General, BSF; Keki Dadabhoy of Black Cat Commandos and Lt. Col. Adi B. Tarapore, the only Parsi winner of Param Veer Chakra.
There is a chronological record detailing the contribution and preparedness of the Parsi community during the Second World War. Pictures of the two War Memorials at Khareghat Colony, Mumbai are included. A list of Parsis who died during World War II, Indo Pakistan Wars and Indo China War of 1962 is also given. Date of disbanding of the Parsi Battalion is also given as also obituaries of several Parsi officers and men.
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Table of Contents
Title
Dedicatory page
Table of Contents
Foreword
Preface
Introduction
Recipients of Awards and Medals
Pictures of Awards and Medals
Life sketches of Parsi officers and men (arranged alphabetically surnamewise) 200 pages
Parsis in Police Service
Chronological record from 1919 onwards
Parsi Ambulance Division
War Memorials
Index of names – surnamewise
Press announcements
Bibliography
Acknowledgments
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marzban Jamshedji Giara is the author and publisher of books on Zarathushti religion and Parsi history. In the eighties he helped Dr. Bahman Surti to publish seven volumes of SHAH NAMAH OF FIRDAOSI in English Prose. What started as a hobby has become a full time obsession. During the past 33 years he has produced many firsts including the first illustrated Global Directory of Zoroastrian Fire Temples in 1998 and its 2nd edition in December 2002, The Zoroastrian Pilgrim’s Guide in 1999, Parsi Statues in 2000, All India Directory of Parsi Institutions in 2010 and its 2nd edition in 2015 and The Contribution of the Parsi Community during the First World War (1914-1918). He has to his credit thirty six other books, some authored or compiled by him, some translated from Gujarati into English. He is perhaps the only one who has had a track record of consistent performance in bringing out new and informative publications that meet the needs of the community and most of these with his own resources, without seeking any sponsorship. A keen student of Parsi history and Zarathushti religion, he is an independent thinker, writer, public speaker, free lance journalist and research worker.
His parents and his teachers have been the inspiration for him. Right from childhood, his father ingrained in him the idea: “Son, be a creator and not a spectator in life. We must give back to society more than what we have received from it.” These words have motivated him to pursue his noble work of bringing out new and innovative books in the service of the community. Married to Bapsy (nee Daruvala) since 1969, they have a son Zareer and a grandson Farhad. The family’s support and encouragement from friends and well wishers drives him to carry on with his work in his chosen field of endeavour.
He has been featured in The Times of India, Jam-E-Jamshed, Afternoon Despatch and Courier, Indian Express as also in Parsiana and was interviewed on Doordarshan TV and ZEE TV alpha Humata Hukhta Hvarashta for his publications. He is interested in devotional music and has compiled and published two song books Jarthosti Gayan Sangrah, and Gaavo Maari Saathe Singalong Treasure Trove of Parsi Songs and also produced audio CDs of devotional hymns Zoroastrian Melodies, Khushaline Bandgina Geeto, Ame Chhaiye Parsi.
Mr. Rusi M. Lala has acknowledged his contribution in his book For The Love Of India biography of Jamsetji N. Tata. His article Through the Lens on Parsi photographers co-authored along with Dr. Nawaz B. Modi is included in Vol. III of the tome Enduring Legacy published in 2005. His article “Statues in the making of Bombay” has been published in the tome Threads of Continuity by PARZOR in March 2016. He has presented slide shows on Parsi statues highlighting their contribution to humanity.