Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi, has announced an online short-term certificate course titled “The Parsi Presence: Migration, Integration, Innovation” as part of LSR Summer School 2026.
The course is being offered by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), Lady Shri Ram College for Women, in collaboration with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and the ParZor Foundation.
The programme will run from July 13 to July 22, 2026, with online sessions held daily from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The course fee is Rs. 3000, and the last date for registration is July 9, 2026.
A Course on Parsi History, Culture, and Contribution
Titled “The Parsi Presence: Migration, Integration, Innovation,” the course will explore the story of the Parsis and Zoroastrians through the lenses of migration, identity, integration, cultural preservation, and innovation.
According to the course announcement, the programme aims to help participants understand Parsi culture, heritage, and Zoroastrian beliefs in the context of multiple diasporas, while also examining the community’s contributions to multi-cultural India.
The course will also address contemporary questions of demography, sociology, and psychology, especially in relation to population decline and strategies for cultural continuity.
A special focus will be placed on Parsi artistic traditions, their multicultural influences from East and West, and the role and representation of women in the preservation of cultural heritage.
Part of LSR’s “Rooted and Rising” Summer School
The course is one of five interdisciplinary certificate programmes being offered under LSR Summer School 2026, themed “Rooted and Rising: Where Foundation Meets Innovation.”
A recent Times of India report noted that LSR’s summer school brings together subjects ranging from artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship to public policy, psychology, Indian knowledge systems, and cultural heritage. The Parsi Presence course has been highlighted as one of the standout offerings, bringing the history and continuing relevance of one of India’s smallest but most influential communities into an academic setting.
LSR Principal Prof. Kanika K. Ahuja described the broader summer school vision as one that connects timeless knowledge with innovation, preparing students to navigate a future shaped by both technology and civic responsibility.
Course Features
The programme promises an interactive and engaging learning experience, including:
- Interactive learning with global experts, discussions, and hands-on activities.
- Field visits to heritage sites and cultural landmarks.
- Exploration of a unique culture, including Parsi Zoroastrian history, traditions, demographics, and contributions.
- Learning beyond the classroom through stories, films, archives, and community interactions.
- Certificate programme from LSR, TISS, and ParZor.
Invited Speakers
The course brings together a distinguished group of scholars, historians, cultural leaders, and community experts, including:
Prof. Shernaz Cama
Director, ParZor Foundation; Professor, Department of English, Lady Shri Ram College for Women
Prof. Shalini Bharat
Former Director and Vice Chancellor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
Prof. Coomi Vevaina
Professor and Former Head, Department of English, University of Mumbai
Dr. Meher Mistry
Head, Department of History, Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala College, Mumbai
Dr. Kerman Daruwalla
Project Coordinator, TISS-ParZor Academic Programme
Ms. Tinaz Nooshian
Former Editor, Mid-Day
Programme Leadership
The course will be chaired by Prof. Kanika K. Ahuja, Principal of Lady Shri Ram College for Women.
Prof. Shernaz Cama, Director of the ParZor Foundation, will serve as Programme Director.
Dr. Har Simrat Kaur of LSR will serve as Course Coordinator.
Registration Details
Course: The Parsi Presence: Migration, Integration, Innovation
Format: Online Short-Term Certificate Course
Dates: July 13–July 22, 2026
Time: 9:30 AM–12:30 PM
Fee: Rs. 3000
Last Date to Register: July 9, 2026
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/EpLRTeXRGbT92Ex77
Queries: [email protected]
An Important Academic Moment for the Community
For the Parsi and wider Zoroastrian community, the inclusion of this course within a major university summer school programme is an important recognition of the community’s historical and contemporary significance.
The Parsis have played an outsized role in India’s social, industrial, philanthropic, cultural, legal, scientific, and civic life. At the same time, the community continues to face questions of demographic decline, heritage preservation, diasporic identity, and intergenerational continuity.
By placing these themes in conversation with academic scholarship, archival resources, field engagement, and community memory, “The Parsi Presence” offers students and lifelong learners an opportunity to understand not only the past of the Parsi community, but also its continuing relevance in India and across the world.